


Atlantic City

by slincoln



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Crime Fighting, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-30
Updated: 2018-09-18
Packaged: 2019-06-17 20:42:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 21,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15469644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slincoln/pseuds/slincoln
Summary: Everything dies baby that’s a fact, but maybe everything that dies someday comes back.  Put your make up on fix your hair up pretty and meet me tonight in Atlantic City.





	1. They Blew Up the Chicken Man

A gangly, balding man with a beak like nose and dressed in a rumpled suit scurried down a side street in Philadelphia.  He looked up and down the street before reaching into his pocket, pulled out an old flip phone and  dialed the only number programmed into the phone.

“Sawyer, it’s me.  I know you told me to lay low, and never call this number after everything went sideways, and I’ve tried, God knows I’ve tried.  But something big is about to go down, and I sit on my hands and do nothing.  There’s going to be a sale, a big one, soon.  The boss is overseeing it personally.  I’ve left everything I know about it in one of the old drops.  It’s not much, but hopefully it’s enough.”

The man sucked in his breath and looked up and down the street.  “Look Sawyer, I’m sorry about dumping this all on you, but I’ve got no one else to trust.  Don’t try to get in touch with me.  I’m leaving town tonight, there’s too much heat for me to stay.”  The man walked up the stairs to his brownstone and inserted his key into the door.  “I hope you get this message Sawyer because you’re my last hope.”  He turned the key in the lock and started to push the door open.  There was a soft pinging noise and before the man could react the entire brownstone was enveloped in an explosion.

-National City

Detective Maggie Sawyer pushed open the door to her new, and very empty, apartment.  She tossed her mail on a side table next to the door to be dealt with at a later date.  A soft rustling sound caused Maggie to draw her gun and face the interior of her apartment. 

“I know it’s you, so show yourself and spare us both the trouble,” Maggie said to the darkened apartment.

“That’s my girl Mags, I was worried all your time out here on the left coast had made you soft.”  A pale woman with cropped red hair and dressed in a leather jacket and jeans stepped out of the shadows.

Maggie exhaled and holstered her gun.  “What are you doing here Kate?”

Kate Kane smirked.  “I heard through the grapevine that you called off another marriage.  Seeing as I have some experience with how that feels I thought I’d pay you a visit and see how you’re doing.”

Maggie set her hands on her hips.  “Cut the crap Kate.  I haven’t heard word one from you since I moved to National City and now all of a sudden you show up in my apartment?  You want something from me, so let’s hear it.”

Kate reached into the pocket of her jacket and withdrew a digital recorder.  “The Chicken Man was murdered last night.  I thought you should know.”

Maggie staggered back against her apartment door.  “What, why how?”

Kate walked over to the peninsula that separated the kitchen from the dining room.  She placed the recorder on the peninsula and poured herself a glass of Scotch from the bottle that sat nearby.  “There was a call left on the old answering machine, you should listen to it.”  Kate walked into the living room and sat down on the sofa as she waited for Maggie.

Maggie picked up the recorder and pushed play.  She sagged against the peninsula when she heard the voice of the dead man come out of the recorder’s tinny speaker.  She listened to the message in its entirety before she turned the recorder off and placed it back on the peninsula.  She poured herself a glass of Scotch, finished it in one shot, then poured herself another.  Kate watched in silence as Maggie walked into the living room and stood in front of her.  “What the hell happened Kate?”

Kate swirled the whisky around in her glass before replying.  “Exactly what it sounded like.  George found something he shouldn’t have and Mannheim made sure he didn’t tell anyone about it.”

“Bruno didn’t do a very good job there,” Maggie said.  “What was at the dead drop?”

Kate reached into her jacket and withdrew a reporter’s notebook which she tossed to Maggie.  “Take a look for yourself.”

Maggie flipped through the notebook then returned her attention to Kate.  “He wasn’t kidding when he said this was big.”  Maggie’s eyes narrowed.  “Why are you showing me all this?”

Kate shrugged.  “He was your CI.  I thought you deserved to hear the bad news from a, uh, familiar voice, someone who was there when it all went down.”

“No there’s more to it than that.  Not that I don’t appreciate you making the effort to come here and tell me in person, but you wouldn’t bring this.”  She waved the notepad in the air.  “If you just wanted to tell me that George was dead.”

Kate sipped on her Scotch.  “Don’t you want a chance to get payback for George?”

Maggie tossed the notepad onto her coffee table.  “We’ve been over this, I’m not a vigilante Kate.  Take this to your friends in Gotham, or better yet, the police.”

Kate set her drink down on the coffee table then folded her hands in her lap.  “I did bring it to the police.  I brought it to you.”

“That’s not what I meant.  I’m a detective in National City.  The police there are the ones who should know about this.”

“Those police are completely bought and paid for and you know it.”  Kate stood up from the sofa.  “Face it Mags, if you want justice for George then you have to help me.”

“Damnit Kate, don’t do this to me,” Maggie said.  “Don’t pull me back into your world again.”

Kate stepped around the table and placed her hands on Maggie’s shoulders.  “I wouldn’t come to you unless I had not other choice.  Batman and the others aren’t available, there’s something with the League of Assassins.”  She paused.  “Besides, this is something the two of us have to do together.”

Maggie raised an eyebrow.  “We have to?”

“I think so, be honest, don’t you?”  Kate replied.  “We both want to nail Mannheim to the wall.”

“I don’t deny that, but not like this Kate,” Maggie said.  She pulled away from Kate and walked to the other side of the room.  “It should be a regular police investigation and he should wind up in jail for a long time.  If we do it as vigilantes then the case will get thrown out in a heartbeat.”

“Mags, you read George’s notes.  If nothing else we need to stop this arms deal.  If we only manage that then George’s death won’t have been in vain.”

Maggie drew in a deep breath then finished off her glass of Scotch.  “Damn you Kate, I never could say no to you.”

A smile broke out on Kate’s face.  “Except for that one time.”

“That’s true, there was that one time,” Maggie said.  “But apparently that was the only time.”

“So you’re in?”  Kate asked.

Maggie sighed.  “Against my better judgement I’m in.  I owe the Chicken Man that much.”  Maggie held up a finger.  “But we are doing this my way, and I have some ground rules.  First of all, no discussions of of any relationships, especially ours, the past the past and there’s no sense in relitigating it.  We both know what went wrong, it would only be a distraction.”

“Agreed, but what about you and, what was her name?”

“Her name is Alex, and there isn’t much to say.  She wanted kids and I didn’t.  No sense in moving forward if we couldn’t come to an agreement about that.”

Kate made a face.  “Kids, really?  That sounds so boring and domestic coming from you Mags, especially considering what drove us apart.”  She held up her hands.  “Sorry, sorry, that broke your first rule didn’t it?”

Maggie smirked.  “It did, but I can give you a pass just this once.”

“What’s your second rule?”  Kate asked.

Maggie poured herself another glass of Scotch and drank it in one shot.  “My second rule isn’t a rule as much as it is a requirement, one you’re not going to like.”

Kate crossed her arms.  “What do you mean I’m not going to like it?”

“If we’re going to do this then we’re going to have to recruit one more member of our team.  An expert in the sort of alien weapons that Intergang specializes in, and who Intergang wouldn’t recognize on sight.”

Kate frowned.  “And why wouldn’t I like that?”

Maggie drew in a deep breath.  “Because of who that person is.”

—xxx—xxx—xxx—xxx—xxx—

“Are you sure you’re going to be okay?”  Kara Danvers called out to her sister.  They were both in Alex’s apartment after returning from their trip to Earth-1.  Kara stood in Alex’s living room as she waited for Alex to emerge from her bedroom.

“Of course I’m going to be okay,” Alex said as she walked into the living room dressed in a pair of pajama bottoms and a comfortable shirt.  “The question is if you’re going to be okay.  I didn’t have my evil Nazi doppelgänger explode in my arms.”

Kara flapped her arms up and down.  “I’m not here to talk about me.  I do that enough.  Sure, it was weird to be almost murdered by someone who looked exactly like me, but that comes with the job of being a superhero.  Strange things happen to you and you either roll with it or you go mad, and I choose to roll with it.”

Alex laughed.  “Kara, I just fought Nazis from another dimension in yet another dimension.  You do not have a monopoly on strange things occurring in your life.”

“I’ve got more experience with the weirdness.”

“In other words I can’t talk until I’ve been trapped inside a musical?”

Kara smiled at Alex.  “Exactly, I’m glad we both agree.”

Alex flopped down on her sofa.  “So what did you want to talk about?”

Kara sat down next to Alex.  “I don’t know, I mean this was a very monumental trip for you.”

Alex patted Kara on the knee.  “Monumental how?  Do you mean how I was nearly stranded in a Nazi-ruled dystopia with a hard-ass version of Winn.”

“You know honestly that’s the most hard to believe thing to happen to either of us.  I don’t want to make fun of Winn, but I just can’t picture him as a hard-ass.  He’s Winn for crying out loud.”

“I’m a little concerned you find yourself being a Nazi more believable,” Alex said.

“That was, I try not to think about that, and she was married to Oliver, which was just the grossest, and we can both agree to never speak of it ever again, and focused on what was really important.”

Alex raised an eyebrow.  “Winn Schott, freedom fighting hard-ass?”

“Yes, I mean no, I mean that is amazing as we both have plainly made clear, but that’s not what I had in mind.”

Alex rolled her eyes.  “I see where this is headed, you’re talking about me and Sara.”

“You have to admit, you and Sara, you know, it’s…it’s a big deal.  You said it yourself.”

“Yes Kara, Sara and I hooked up, then fought our way out of that Nazi dystopia.  Which really puts a one night stand into perspective.”

“That’s true, but it’s also depressing to think about, so I’d rather gossip with my sister about her love life.”  Kara rested her head against Alex’s shoulder.  “Unless you’d rather talk about how we were both almost killed by Nazis.”

Alex placed her arm around Kara’s shoulders and pulled her in closer.  “No you’re right.  I’d rather not talk about Nazis.  So what do you want to know about me and Sara.  I hope you know I’m not the type to kiss and tell.”

“What?  No, ew, no I’d rather not hear anything about you and kissing.”  Kara scrunched her face into a look of disgust.

“I see how it is now.  I have to listen to you giving me blow by blow descriptions of all the times you and Mon-El made out, but when the tables are turned you suddenly turn into a prude.”

The tips of Kara’s ears turned pink.  “First of all, I am not a prude.  And secondly, I did not give you blow by blow descriptions of the times Mon-El and I made out because that wouldn’t have been proper.”  Kara held her nose up in the air at a haughty angle.  “Besides, I don’t care about your make outs, I want to know about the two of you going forward?”

Alex pushed herself away from Kara.  “She’s a time traveling assassin who lives in an alternate dimension, there’s no going forward there.”

“You could make it work,” Kara said.  “Cisco could make you a dimensional breach thingy like mine, and you could hop back and forth to see each other.”

Alex took hold of Kara’s hands and gave them a squeeze.  “Kara, do you remember why I broke up with Maggie?”

“You wanted kids and she didn’t?”

“And does sassy time traveling assassin sound like a person who is interested in having kids?”

“You never know, maybe?”

“Sara and I are friends, and that’s all.  Stop trying to force me into a relationship.”

“But you were so happy when you were with Maggie.”

“I was, but come on Kara, you don’t see me setting you up on dates, and Mon-El left long before Maggie and I split up.”

“Okay, true but,”

Alex held up a hand to cut Kara off.  “Kara, the reason I was happy was because for the first time I understood myself, and that hasn’t changed even though Maggie and I broke up.  I don’t need to be in a relationship to be happy.”

Kara let out a sigh.  “You’re right, I’m sorry, I’m being a jerk trying to force you back out into the dating scene so soon after you and Maggie split up.  You’ll get back out there at your own time I’m sure.  You’ve been more than understanding with me, the least I could do is return the favor.  Can you forgive me?”

Alex leaned over and gave Kara a hug.  “Of course I can, but to make it up to me whenever you do feel up to dating again be sure to forward me every match you get on OkCupid okay?”

“So you can have Winn run background checks on all of them?”  Kara shook her head.  “I don’t think so.”

“Oh that is happening whether you like it or not,” Alex said.

Kara’s response was cut off by a knock on the door.  Kara lowered her glasses to look outside at whoever was standing at the door.  She then quickly raised her glasses and stood up from the couch.  “Call me tomorrow.”  She told Alex before she flew out of the apartment.

Alex pushed herself off the sofa and walked over to the door.  She looked back at the open window Kara flew out of as she pulled the door open to reveal Maggie and Kate.  “Maggie, what are you doing here?”

“I hate to ask you this, but I need your help Alex,” Maggie said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story's been in development since shortly after Crisis on Earth-X. After the announcement that the DC:CW is doing Batwoman in the upcoming, I decided I'd better get my version published before they do theirs and here we are.  
> -sam, 2018-07-29


	2. Two Tickets on that Coast City Bus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: All the characters contained in this story are the property of DC Comics, and Warner Brothers. No infringement is intended.
> 
> Summary: Everything dies baby that's a fact, but maybe everything that dies somedays come back. Put your make up on, fix your hair up pretty, and meet me tonight in Atlantic City.
> 
> Spoilers: This takes place directly after the Crisis on Earth-X crossover.

Alex took a step backwards to allow Maggie and Kate into her apartment.  “What do you mean help, and who’s your friend?”  She pointed at Kate.

Maggie made a beeline to the bottle of Scotch Alex had sitting on a countertop and poured herself a drink.  “This is my friend Kate Kane from Gotham.”  She nodded towards Kate who was still standing in the apartment’s doorway.

“You never said anything about having a friend who lived in Gotham,” Alex said to Maggie.

“That’s because I’m not the sort of friend you mention to a new fiancee,” Kate said as she stepped into the apartment.  Her eyes narrowed when she saw the still moving drapes of the window Kara flew out of.  “Are we alone in here?”

Alex closed the door then faced Kate.  “Of course we’re alone.  Does its look like anyone else is in the apartment?”  Kate frowned as she looked at the sofa, but did not press the matter further.  Instead she sat down in one the chairs that ringed Alex’s dining room table.  Alex rolled her eyes and returned her attention to Maggie.  “What’s going on Maggie?”

“They blew up the Chicken Man,” Kate said.  She stood up from her chair and walked over to Maggie and poured herself a glass of Scotch.

“And that’s supposed to mean something to me?”  Alex said.

“George ‘Chicken Man’ Rizetti was a low level mob guy who had ties to all the major East Coast families:  the Falcones, the Marconis…”

“Intergang,” Kate said.

Maggie nodded her head.  “Intergang too.  He also, once a very long time ago, worked with me as an informant.  Kate and I were working on case against Bruno Mannheim and George was going to be the star witness.”

Alex looked at Kate.  “So you’re police too?”

Kate smiled.  “Not exactly, but stopping crime is important to me, so I helped Mags out.”

Alex looked back and forth between Maggie and Kate.  “Mags huh?  Okay so you had a star witness against one of the most ruthless mobsters in the country.  What went wrong?”

Maggie sighed.  “The case fell apart before we were even able to make an arrest.  The DA tanked the case because…”

“Because it’s Bruno Mannheim and that’s how it goes,” Kate said, cutting Maggie off.

“Precisely, we kept George safe by never naming him in any of our paperwork, and after the case ended we burned everything.  Then I got fed up with life on the East Coast and moved out here.”

“So why is he dead now?” Alex asked.  “Did Mannheim find out what he did?”

“He died because he tried to warn us about something new,” Kate said.  “An arms deal, a big one, happening soon.  And since it involves Intergang the weapons being sold are certainly going to be alien.”

Alex rubbed her chin.  “Illegal alien weapon deals are definitely a big deal.”

“Especially this one. Corto Maltese is looking to beef up its armed forces and Intergang is angling to be their lone supplier.”

Alex held up her hands.  “You don’t have to say anything else.  I still have a few, well a lot of question, but you don’t have to sell me on the scope of the problem, and I see why you came to me.”

“I’m glad you do, because I still don’t,” Kate said.  “Mags has been less than forthcoming about that information.”

“Can I trust her Maggie?”  Alex asked.

“Kate can keep a secret if that’s what you’re asking,” Maggie said.

“I work for the DEO,” Alex said.  “Alien contraband is my speciality.”

Kate took a step away from Alex then started to head for the door.  “Oh no, no, Mags how could you even think I’d be willing to work with the DEO after all the crap Bones put me through.”

Maggie ran over to stop Kate.  “I didn’t say work with the DEO, I said we need to work with Alex.  Trust me on this.  Alex is one of the good guys.  You can work with her.”

Alex set her hands on her hips.  “What’s your problem with the DEO?”

“I had the unfortunate honor of being ‘recruited’ by your Director Bones.  Let’s just say I wasn’t a fan of his methods.”

“Director Bones was a rogue, out of control, agent who we dealt with,” Alex said.  “He doesn’t represent what the DEO is these days.”

“You’ll have to pardon me if I don’t take your word for it,” Kate said.  “Forget this, there’s no way.”  She placed her hand on the doorknob to leave.

“Kate, you came to me with this,” Maggie said.  “And I am telling you, Alex is exactly the person we need to stop Intergang.  They don’t know Alex.  She’ll be perfect for the job and she already has experience with alien weapons.”

“Wait, hold up, what do you mean by they don’t know me?  I thought you were telling me all this so I could bring it to the DEO, not run off and play vigilante,” Alex said.  “You know how good my team is Maggie.  We could wrap this up in no time flat.”

“No deal Ms. DEO,” Kate said.  “I’m not working with your snake pit of an organization ever again.”

“That’s fine by me because I’m not even sure why you’re here in the first place,” Alex said.

“This is as personal to Kate as it is to me,” Maggie said.  “This isn’t about police work Alex. This is about our friend, and making sure the people who killed him face justice.”

“Which the DEO can deliver,” Alex said.

“Hey, when Cadmus had your dad did I suggest we go to the NCPD and get a SWAT team to take them into custody?  You owe me one Danvers, and I’m calling it in now.”

Alex sighed.  “When you put it that way I don’t have much choice do I?”

Maggie shook her head.  “No, you really don’t.  If it make you feel better, I hate that I’m putting you on the spot like this, but you are our best hope of stopping Intergang from destabilizing a sensitive part of the world.  Not to mention getting justice for the brutal murder of a good man.”

Alex shook her head.  “You just had to bring up the time I went after Cadmus to rescue my dad didn’t you?”

Maggie smirked.  “You know me Danvers, no mercy.”

“So you’re in?”  Kate asked.

Alex sighed.  “Against my better judgement yes, I’m in.”

“And so we’re clear, I don’t want to see any of your DEO friends,” Kate said.  “You’re helping us, your team isn’t.”

“Can I bring my secret weapon along?”  Alex asked.

“It would be impossible to make you leave it behind,” Maggie said.  “But only as a last resort.”

Kate narrowed her eyes.  “Secret weapon, what’s that?”

“Don’t worry about it.  If we’re lucky we won’t need it, and if we do we’ll be lucky we have it,” Maggie said.

“You know my opinion on surprises,” Kate said.

“No, I was completely unaware of how much you dislike being surprised,” Maggie said.  “Trust me Kate, this is fine and won’t cause problems.”

Kate sighed.  “Fine, she can keep her secret, for now.”

Alex pulled out one of the chairs at her dining room table and tapped on the back of it.  “Come here, sit down and let’s talk over whatever your plan for this operation is.”

Kate waited for Maggie to sit down at the table fore she brushed past Alex and also sat down.  Alex rolled her eyes and took a seat at the head of the table.

“We know the weapons buy exists and roughy where and when it’s going to happen,” Maggie said.  “But we don’t know any of the specific details.”

“And of course we also lost our only source of intel from inside Intergang,” Kate said.

“I can help with that,” Alex said.  “Just say the word and I can get you the time and place the buy is taking place.”

Kate leaned forward on the table.  “That was my idea as well, but now I’m curious how you were going to do it.”

“That’s, that’s top secret,” Alex said.  “As I’m sure you can imagine the DEO has some of the best intelligence gathering technology in the world.”

“That you can task with no questions asked?”  Kate raised an eyebrow at Alex.  “Like I said before we’re doing this my way.”

“What are you thoughts on going undercover?”  Maggie asked Alex.

“I think going undercover with Intergang is a suicidal idea,” Alex said.  “A lot of good agents have died trying to do just that.”

“So you know the risks, good,” Kate said.  “What I’ll provide you with is a new identity and you’ll go to work for Intergang as their newest muscle.  They’re always hiring mercenaries to supplement their security details.  You can fight I hope.”

Alex stiffened in her chair.  “I can put you on your ass that’s for sure.”

“You’re welcome to try,” Kate said.  The pair locked eyes and glared at each other until Maggie waved her hands between them.

“Ladies, you can posture after the job’s done.  Yes Kate, Alex is good in a fight, I can vouch for that personally.”

“Good enough for Intergang?”

Maggie rolled her eyes.  “I said she was the right woman for the job didn’t I?  She’s fought off Daxamites, cyborgs.”

“And Nazis,” Alex said.

“Nazis, really?”

“It’s…an extremely long story.”

“I’d like to hear it some time.  Like Kate said, the plan is to set you up with a new identity and you go to work for Intergang.  You’ll find the location of the arms deal and then we’ll break it up and call the cops on our way out.  Easy peasy.”

“You say that now, but I would feel a lot more comfortable if I could bring in a few select members of my team at the DEO.  I understand that Kate doesn’t like us, but three people against Intergang is lousy odds anyway you slice it.”

“Don’t worry about the odds.  I have a few secret weapons of my own,” Kate said.  She smiled at Alex.  “And no, I won’t tell you what they are.”

Alex shrugged.  “Fair is fair I suppose.”

“It’s true this is a risky, and probably ill-thought out, plan,” Maggie said.

“But I did storm that Cadmus facility all by myself so I can hardly talk,” Alex said.  She held up her hands and leaned back in her chair.  “Say no more, I get it.  I’ll stop complaining now.”  She lowered her hands.  “But I do have questions.”

Kate nodded her head.  “Of course.”

“You said you don’t know the exact time and place of this arms deal.  Do you know in more general terms?”

“Yes, soon and Atlantic City,” Kate replied.

“Do we have to leave now or can you wait until tomorrow so I can tell my boss I need to take a few days off?”

Maggie put a hand out to keep Kate from replying.  “I’m sure Kate is flying out as soon as we’re done here, but you can take the time you need to let the DEO know you need to take a vacation.  In fact it would be for the best if you did.  We wouldn’t want them, or your reporter sister, looking for you.”

“We certainly do not, Kara can be a real bulldog about getting other bottom of a mystery,” Alex said.

“Fine, I get it, talk to your boss at the DEO.  There will be a ticket to Atlantic City waiting for you at the airport tomorrow.  We can go over any other questions you have after you get there.”  Kate pushed herself away from the table then stood up.  “Welcome to the team Alex.”

“I hope you survive the experience,” Maggie said.

—xxx—xxx—xxx—xxx—xxx—

“So let me see if I have this right,” J’onn said to Alex the next day in the DEO.  They stood in a side corridor off from the main command center.  “You want to take an unspecified number of days off to do something you’re not willing to tell me about, and you expect me to be okay with that?”

Alex bowed her head.  “I understand that I’m asking for a lot of you with this sir.”

“This is a little more than asking a lot Agent Danvers.  Give me one good reason why I should let you come and go as you please?”

“I can’t go into details sir, I made a promise, but it’s important and worthwhile.”

J’onn set his hands on his hips. “Help me out here Alex.  I want to say yes, but if you don’t give me a reason then my hands are tied.”

Alex took a deep breath, but before she could speak Kara walked up to the pair.  “Hey Alex, what did Maggie and her mystery friend want last night?”

J’onn looked down at Alex and raised an eyebrow.  “Maggie huh?”

Alex waved her hands.  “It’s not what you think sir.”

J’onn cocked his head to one side.  “Maggie and a mystery friend visit you last night and now you want to go off on some off the book mission, what exactly should I think?”

Alex’s shoulders sagged under the combined weight of J’onn and Kara’s combined glare.  “Maggie needs my help and that’s all I can say without violating the confidence given to me.”

Kara took a step closer to her sister.  “Alex, if you need help let me know and I’ll do whatever you need me to.”

Alex patted Kara on the arm.  “I know Kara, but you’ll have to trust me and give me space.”

Kara nodded her head.  “I do trust you.”  She hugged Alex.  “Be safe and come back in one piece.”

J’onn sighed.  “Fine, consider your request approved, and don’t be afraid to call if you need any help.”

“Thank-you J’onn,” Alex said.

“I don’t like this,” J’onn  said.  “But I trust you Alex, don’t make me feel like that trust was misplaced.”  J’onn turned and walked away from the Danvers sisters.

“So where are we going?”  Kara asked Alex.

“We are not going anywhere.  You are staying here while I go help Maggie,” Alex said.  “And I mean it Kara, no snooping around after me.”

“If you do find yourself in over your head just remember I’m a phone call away,” Kara said.

Alex rolled her eyes.  “Yes, of course I will.”

Kara pulled Alex in for another hug.  “I still think this is a terrible idea.  Why would you even agree to these terms?  I thought you’d made your peace with the break up?”

“I have, and this has nothing to do with the breakup.  Maggie is still my friend and she needs my help.”

“Just be sure not to be too proud to ask for help if you need it,” Kara said.  She poked Alex in the chest then walked away.

Alex looked around and saw Winn sitting at his computer terminal then walked over to where he sat.  Alex rested a hand on the back of Winn’s chair.  “Hey Winn.”

Winn looked up.  “Hey Alex, what’s up?”

“Winn, at some point in the next few days I might be calling you asking for help.  I’ll need you to do whatever I ask you to, and don’t tell anyone, especially J’onn or Kara.”

Winn looked around the room.  “You, uh, want me to do what now?”

“I don’t know yet, but if I do call I need to know that you’ll help, and keep it quiet.”

“And what if I don’t?” 

Alex spun Winn’s chair around.  “Winn you are going to help me, and keep it a secret because I said so.”  She leaned in closer.  “And you aren’t going to complain about it, do I make myself clear?”

Winn sucked in a deep breath then held up his hands in surrender.  “Okay, okay whatever you need, just ease up on the glowering okay?”

Alex smiled and patted Winn on the head.  “Thanks Winn, you’re the best.”

“And what do you want me to say if J’onn or Kara ask me what I’m doing?”

Alex straightened and stepped away from Winn.  “I’m sure you can think of something.  I have a plane to catch.”  She spun on her heels and walked out of the DEO.

-To Be Continued-


	3. There’s Trouble Bussin’ in From Outta State

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: All the characters contained in this story are the proper of DC Comics, and Warner Brothers. No infringement is intended.  
> Summary: Everything dies baby that's a fact, but maybe everything that dies somedays come back. Put your make up on, fix your hair up pretty, and meet me tonight in Atlantic City.  
> Spoilers: This takes place directly after the Crisis on Earth-X crossover.

-Atlantic City

Alex walked out of the baggage claim and into the arrivals area of Atlantic City International Airport.  She looked around until she saw Maggie standing off by herself.  Alex shouldered her bag and started to walk towards her ex-fiancee.

As Alex made her way through the crowd an elderly woman bumped into her, causing the woman to drop her purse.  Alex bent down to pick it up.  “Oh my goodness, I am so sorry,” Alex handed the purse back to the old woman.

“Quite alright dear, these things happen,” the woman said with a British accent.  “Best of luck to you.”

Alex took a step back from the woman.  “What do you mean by that?”

The woman cocked her head to one side.  “You’re in Atlantic City love, everyone needs good luck here.”  She clucked her tongue then disappeared into the crowd.

Alex looked out in the direction the woman left for a moment before she shook her head and walked up to Maggie.  “What was that all about?”  Maggie asked.

Alex looked over her shoulder one last time then shook her head.  “Nothing, it was nothing.  I wasn’t looking where I was going is all.  How’d you get out here so soon?”

“I flew out with Kate last night.  Did you know she’s rich?”

Alex frowned.  “No, I did not.”

“Come on, the car’s this way,” Maggie said.  “We’ve booked a suite to use as our home base.”

“Sounds fancy,” Alex said as she followed Maggie into the parking structure.

“It’s not bad,” Maggie replied.

“This is weird isn’t it?”  Alex said.

Maggie came to a stop next to a nondescript rental sedan.  “What do you mean?”

“You, me, here, it’s weird.”  Alex passed her suitcase over to Maggie who loaded it into the car’s trunk.

“Why would I think it’s weird?  It’s just me and the woman I was engaged to working together.  That seems perfectly normal to me.”

Alex scratched the back of her head.  “So yes, it’s weird, like I said.”

“Does saying that out loud make you feel any better?”  Maggie asked as they entered the car.

“I know, we have a job to do and I shouldn’t focus on relationship drama?”

Maggie turned on the ignition of the car.  “Now you’re catching on Danvers.”

“Kara wouldn’t approve of ignoring our feelings like this,” Alex said.

“Kara isn’t here though,” Maggie replied.  “She isn’t here is she?”

“No, you and your friend Kate were very clear about that.  She doesn’t know who Kara is does she?”

“I haven’t told her, but considering who she works with I wouldn’t be shocked if she did.  Don’t worry though, Kate is the definition of discrete.”

“What’s her deal anyway?”  Alex asked.  “Why was she working on a case with you if she isn’t in law enforcement.  I checked before I left National City.”

Maggie glanced over at Alex.  “Good girl Danvers, always be sure to look before you leap.  Frankly that’s something neither you or your sister is good at.”

“You’re avoiding my question,” Alex said.

Maggie sighed.  “This is hardly the time to mention it, but you weren’t the first person I was engaged to.

“And you’re telling me this now because you and Kate?” 

Maggie nodded her head.  “The only difference was I called it off because well…that’s a story for another time.  Maggie sighed. “If you want to know what makes Kate tick you’ll have to ask her yourself, and good luck with that.”

“So is that what caused the two of you to…” Alex paused mid sentence then shook her head.  “You know what, that’s not important right now.”  She fell silent and played with the shoulder strap of her seat belt.  “Speaking of, how have you been since…”

“Since you called off our wedding?”  Maggie asked.  Alex felt her face flush and she tightened her grip on her seat belt.  She found she could only nod in response.

“Don’t worry Alex, I’m getting by.  I finally got my new place furnished to my liking and I’m caught up with all my paperwork at the precinct.”

“Are you, are you seeing anyone yet?”  Alex asked.  She kept her eyes locked firmly on her knees.

Maggie snorted.  “Just how fast do you think I work Danvers?  Not to stroke your ego, but I don’t think I’ll be dipping back into the dating pool anytime soon.”  Maggie glanced over at Alex.  “Why, have you?”

“I, er, not exactly,” Alex said.

Maggie’s eyebrows rose.  “Not exactly, what does that mean?”

Alex twisted her hands together.  “I went to this wedding with Kara, she needed a plus one because of Mon-El and that whole thing,.  She thought the trip would do me some good.  She was amazingly wrong about that by the way.”  Alex coughed then continued.  “Anyway, I got incredibly drunk with one of the other guests at the rehearsal dinner, one thing lead to the another…”

Maggie started to laugh.  “You’re telling me you had a drunken hookup at a wedding?”

Alex’s face turned even more red.  “Yes, I’m not exactly proud of it.”

“Calm down Danvers, that’s what you’re supposed to do when you are single at a wedding,” Maggie said.  “Not that I want to hear all the messy details, but who was the lucky girl, and did she hurt you in any way?”

“Her name is Sara, and she didn’t hurt me,” Alex said.  “In fact she helped me work through some things.”

“Like what?”  Maggie asked.

Alex drew in a deep breath.  “You mostly, well my decision to call off the wedding.”

“That, I don’t know how to handle that,” Maggie said.  She tightened her grip on the steering wheel.

“I just mean she helped me realize that…there’s no good way to say this.”

“We were never going to get past the kids question so there’s no sense in worrying if we should’ve done more to make it work,” Maggie said.

“Yes, that, exactly that,” Alex said.  “How did you know?”

“Because I’ve been thinking about the same thing,” Maggie said.  “But no matter how much I loved you Alex, we’re never going to resolve that and it was time to move on.”

“Maggie, I…” Alex reached over to rest a hand on Maggie’s shoulder.

Maggie shrugged off Alex’s hand.  “It’s okay, I’ll be fine.  So you and Sara, is there anything there?”

Alex laughed.  “No, oh no.  That’s, no.  We are definitely better as friends.”

“The sex was that bad huh?”

“I thought you didn’t want details,” Alex said.

“I don’t mind details if they make her look bad,” Maggie said.

“Sorry to disappoint, but the sex wasn’t the problem,” Alex said.  “It’s her job, time traveling assassin doesn’t leave much room in a person’s life for a long-term relationship.  Well, that and she lives in a different dimension.”

“She’s a what who lives where?”

“She’s a former assassin who protects the time stream by correcting anachronisms, and she lives in different dimension.  I did say it was a wedding for Kara’s friends.”

“I should call you a liar, but I know the type of friends Kara has so I really shouldn’t have been surprised.  That means the wedding was…”

“In a different dimension, yes,” Alex said.  “It was a lot of fun, right up until the moment the Nazis from yet another dimension crashed the ceremony.”

“You’re kidding me,” Maggie said.

“I promise you I am not,” Alex replied.  “I even spent some time on the Nazi’s world.  I met the leader of the resistance too, and you’ll never guess who it was.”

“You?”

“No, I didn’t meet myself because I was probably dead, because you know, Nazis and lesbians don’t get along.”

Maggie made a face as she pulled off the freeway.  “That’s a decent point, so who?”

Alex grinned.  “Winn.”

“Winn, as in Winn Schott?  Nebbish little Winn was the leader of a global resistance movement?”

“The multiverse contains vast mysteries,” Alex said.

“You’ll have to tell me the whole story later,” Maggie said.  “Your exploits in alternate dimensions are best told over a drink.”

“Yeah, I guess, no, yeah you’re right,” Alex said.

“We’re almost at the hotel,” Maggie said.  “So we were going to have to put a pin in this conversation anyway.”  She paused.  “And regardless of what else happened, I’m glad you and Kara made it home in one piece.”

“Me too, especially Kara,” Alex said.

“No offense Alex, but I’ve always thought of Kara as the one you don’t have to worry about in a fight,” Maggie said.

“It’s, that’s an even longer story, but she was in more danger than I was,” Alex replied.

“Kate’s out doing reconnaissance work so you’ll have plenty of time to tell me all about it,” Maggie said.  She drove up to the tall, garish hotel and parked the car in the valet line.

“Lucky me I guess,” Alex said.  She pulled her luggage out of the car ahead of the valet driving away.

“You don’t like her,” Maggie said.  They walked through the opulent lobby and up to the elevators.

“I don’t hate her,” Alex said.  An elevator door dinged open and the pair stepped onto it.  “But I don’t like her attitude, and I don’t think she likes me much.”

Maggie sighed as she punched the button to their floor.  “That’s okay, Kate can be prickly around people she doesn’t know.  It’s a consequence of her background.”

“Which you won’t tell me about because you think it’s her story to tell.”

“Would you like me to tell her about you and your father?”  Maggie asked.

Alex pinched her lips together then bowed her head.  “Okay no, I wouldn’t, that’s true.”

“Same deal with Kate.  I’m not saying it will explain her being a bitch, that’s just Kate, but she has her trauma.”

“So you keep saying,” Alex said.

“There’s more to it, but again, she needs to tell you,” Maggie said.

Alex nodded her head.  “Fair enough, but we will be discussing this at length when she gets back.  I’m putting my life in your hands after all.”

“And you deserve to know the whole story,” Maggie said.

“This going to be a big deal isn’t it?”  Alex said.

The elevator door dinged open and Maggie stepped out of it.  “Big enough that I’m going to owe you an apology after you hear the whole thing.”

Alex followed Maggie down the hallways towards their suite.  “That isn’t ominous at all.”

Maggie came to a stop in front of the suite door.  “We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.  For now though, check out these digs.”  She pushed open the door and they stepped into the suite.

Alex let out a low whistle.  “Okay I’m impressed, Kate has some excellent taste, but isn’t a place like this hideously expensive?”

“It is, but price isn’t a concern to Kate, her mother is related to the Wayne’s of Gotham.”

Alex’s eyebrows raised.  “That is some serious money.”

“She never makes a deal out of it.  She was more interested in following her father into the Army, but I’m getting ahead of myself.”

“Let me guess, that’s one of those things she has to tell me about huh?”  Alex said.  She leaned against the wall of the suite’s entryway.

“Let me show you to your room,” Maggie said to Alex.  Alex picked up her luggage and followed Maggie into one of the three bedrooms in the suite.

“This is, this is nicer than my apartment,” Alex said as she surveyed the large, and luxuriously appointed room.  It was decorated in a modern style with lots of straight angles, wood and stone.

“That’s not a very high bar Danvers,” Maggie said.

Alex dropped her luggage to the ground.  “You never had any complaints,” she replied.

“That’s because I wasn’t there to criticize the decor,” Maggie said.  She pulled out a chair that was tucked under the room’s desk and sat down.

Alex fell backwards onto the spacious bed that dominated the room.  “Oh that feels good after that flight.  Sometimes I envy Kara’s ability to fly cross-country at hypersonic speeds on a whim.”

“But you can pack more clothes,” Maggie said.

“I won’t say clothes are totally overrated, but then again, not having to deal with airports…”

“Can’t you use your DEO connections to skip flying commercial?” Maggie asked.

“You know J’onn, he’s a stickler for following the rules,” Alex said.

“There’s no abusing the DEO jet then?”  Maggie asked.

“Of course not,” Alex replied.  She pushed herself up into a sitting position.  “While we’re waiting, what is the plan anyway?  Or do we need Kate here?”

Maggie rapped her knuckles against the arm rest of her chair.  “No, we can go over the plan while Kate’s gone.”

Kate scrubbed her hands up and down her legs.  “You said you wanted me to go undercover with Intergang?”

“That’s right, there’s an opening in Bruno Mannheim’s personal security team,” Maggie said.

“How convenient for us,” Alex said.

“Isn’t it though?”

“That doesn’t automatically mean I’ll get the job.”

“It might as well be.  The way Mannheim fills job openings is by having applicants fight it out for the spot.”

“Classy,” Ale said.  “So I have to beat up a bunch of goons to even get the job, that’s great.  How are we guaranteed that I’ll win?”

Maggie cocked her head to one side.  “You mean you’re expecting to lose Danvers?  That doesn’t sound like you.”

“You never can tell who might show up.”

“Please, you’re Alex Danvers, nobody can take you in a fight.”

“I’ve learned that isn’t necessarily always the case,” Alex said.  She rubbed the back of her head.

“Is this related to that alternate dimension wedding you were talking about?”  Maggie stood up from her chair and left the room.  She returned carrying a full bottle of whisky and two glasses.  “Tell me everything about it, and your time traveling sexy assassin.”

Alex took one of the glasses from Maggie and let her fill it.  “I assure you, everything I’m about to tell you is true.”  Alex then gave Maggie a complete retelling of the events of the West-Allen wedding and the invasion from Earth-X.

When Alex had finished Maggie shook her head.  “If I didn’t know you better, I’d swear you just made that up.”

“I know, I don’t believe it happened, and I was there,” Alex said.

Maggie tipped back the remainder of the whisky in her glass and refilled it.  “So how’s Kara doing after all that?”

Alex motioned for Maggie to refill her glass.  “Oh you know Kara, worried about everyone else but her.”

Maggie chuckled.  “That sounds about right.”

The sound of the door to the balcony opening and closing caused Alex’s head to snap up.  “What was that?”  She stood up from the bed.

Maggie put down her whisky glass and rubbed her forehead.  “That, that was probably Kate getting back.”

“That wasn’t the front door, that was the balcony door, and we’re thirty stories up.  How could that be Kate?”  Alex pulled her sidearm out of her bag and walked out of the bedroom.

“Alex you don’t need the gun,” Maggie called out as she followed Alex.

Alex stepped into the living room and found a woman dressed in a black costume with long red hair streaming out from behind a black cowl.  Alex took note of the bat symbol on the woman’s chest. “That’s, but.” She looked back at Maggie who nodded.

Kate reached up and pulled back her wig and cowl.  “That’s right, I’m Batwoman,” Kate said.

-To Be Continued-


	4. Our Love May Be Cold

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: All the characters contained in this story are the propery of DC Comics and Warner Brothers. No infringement is intended.
> 
> Spoilers: This takes place directly after the Crisis on Earth-X crossover.
> 
> * * *

Alex looked between Kate then Maggie then back to Kate.  “Okay, Batwoman, that explains a lot.  I suppose that’s why you broke up?”

Kate ran her hand through her hair.  “I suppose it was.  Will this be a problem for you?”

Alex shook her head.  “Not at all, I don’t have a problem with costumed heroes.”

“I should hope not considering you work with Supergirl after all,” Kate said.

Alex turned her attention to Maggie.  “Why didn’t you tell me you knew Batwoman?”

Maggie shrugged her shoulders. “You know how bad I am about talking about my past, and this was something I really did not want to talk about.  Especially with the wedding, not that I had to worry about that as it turned out.”

“That’s so typical of you,” Alex said.  “You never willingly told me anything about your past.”

Kate stepped in between Alex and Maggie.  “Ladies, this is not the time.  Mags, did you go over the plan with Alex?”

Maggie crossed her arms in front of her.  “We covered the highlights.”

Kate reached into a pouch on her utility belt and withdrew several sheets of folded paper she then tossed at Alex.  “Here’s your cover story.  Learn it frontwards and backwards because your life depends on it.”

Alex caught the papers.  “I know how important maintaining my cover is.”  She started to read through the pages.  “You seriously expect them to buy this?”

“Alexis Dantonio, you were discharged dishonorably from the Army and have spent the past few years working as a mercenary in some of the nastiest war zones on Earth.  You were in National City for the Daxamite invasion and decided you wanted to get into the alien weapons game based on that,” Kate said.  “The other sheets have a detailed breakdown of missions you took part in and associates you’ve made.”

“I guess I know what I’m doing for the rest of the day,” Alex said.  “I need to study for the exam.”  Alex walked back into her room and pulled the door shut.

“Why do you have to be so hostile towards her?”  Maggies asked Kate.

“I am not hostile,” Kate said.  “This is just me before a mission, you should know what that looks like.”

Maggie advanced on Kate.  “No, I know what you’re like before a mission and this isn’t it.”

Kate’s shoulders sagged.  “She hurt you Mags.  How could I not hate her, even a little bit?”

Maggie wrapped her arms around Kate.  “You don’t have to do that Kate.”

“Yes I do Mags.  No matter what happened between us I still care for you and want you to be happy.”

“That’s sweet Kate, but quit it.  If you were serious about being mission first you wouldn’t let your misguided feelings get in the way of stopping Intergang from selling an arsenal of illegal alien weapons to the highest bidder.  George deserves better than that.”  Maggie poked Kate in the center of the bat symbol on her chest.

Kate recoiled from Maggie’s touch.  “No, but that’s.” She sighed.  “You’re right Mags.  I’ll go apologize to Alex.”    She walked past Maggie on her way to Alex’s room.

Maggie caught Kate by the arm.  “Kate, you do realize we’re through, right?”  Maggie asked.

Kate turned and smiled at Maggie.  “Of course I do.  You were about to marry another woman.  That was a pretty big hint to someone like me with a keen investigative mind.”

“I just wanted to make sure, because, you know.”  Maggie twisted her hands together.

“Mags, I meant what I said.  I want you to be happy.  You deserve to be happy.  Whether that’s with me or somebody else doesn’t matter to me, just that you are.”

“I feel the same way about you Kate,” Maggie said.

Kate pulled her wig and cowl back on.  “You know my line of work, that sort of thing doesn’t happen to people like me.”

“It almost happened to you once.  Who knows, it might happen again,” Maggie said.

“Just not with you,” Kate said.

“Sequels are never as good as the original,” Maggie said.  Kate clucked her tongue, but didn’t respond as she walked into the bedroom.

Kate found Alex seated on a sofa reading over the background material for her cover.  Kate took a deep breath, pulled back her cowl again, and sat down next to Alex.  “Come to quiz me already?”  Alex asked without looking up from her reading.

“I deserved that,” Kate said.  “No, I’m here to apologize for my behavior.  It was out of line, even for a noted jerk like me.”

Alex looked up from her papers.  “No, you’re right.  If I don’t know this material front to back Integrag will kill me.”

“That’s not the reason I was so harsh,” Kate said.  “You hurt Mags, I dislike people who hurt her.”

“Did you ever met her father?”

“Don’t get me started on that asshole,” Kate said.  “Maggie didn’t even let him know we were engaged.”

Alex nodded her head.  “She tried to pull the same stunt with me, but I wasn’t having it.”

Kate raised her eyebrows.  “You got her to confront her dad, I’m impressed.”

“It didn’t, ah, it didn’t go well.  Better than when my friend met the Nazi doppelgänger of her father, but still not well.”  Alex saw the look of disbelief on Kate’s face.  “It’s an extremely long story.”

Kate shrugged her shoulders.  “Your city was invaded by aliens, why should alternate dimensions be anymore outlandish?”

“Yes, exactly,” Alex said.  “Since Maggie’s father was still breathing when I met him I’m guessing you never met him.”

“No, I never did get the pleasure of making his acquaintance.”

“That’s a shame, he deserved to have his teeth kicked in.”  Alex and Kate shared a laugh.  “So assuming I manage to get hired by Intergang, what then?”

“You find the time and place of the arms deal and get me that information.  I’ll take care of the rest.”

“You and what army?”  Alex asked.

“I can handle Mannheim and his goons, don’t worry about that.”

“I’d worry if Supergirl tried to break up an alien arms deal on her own.  You never know how powerful their weapons might be.”

Kate tilted head to one side.  “So what do you suggest, an armed response of DEO agents?”

Alex nodded.  “Yes, we train for this sort of thing, and unlike the local police you can be sure that none of my people are going to be on Mannheim’s payroll.”

“That’s not why I don’t want the DEO’s help, well not the only reason.”

Alex threw her briefing papers down next to her.  “Okay let’s have it.  What is your problem with the DEO?  You mentioned Director Bones the other day, but I went through the DEO records and I couldn’t find any mention of you in his mission reports.”

“That’s because it was off the books,” Maggie said as she entered the bedroom.  “Bones cooked up a scheme to uncover Batman’s real identity and they needed Kate’s help to pull it off.”

Kate stood up from the sofa.  “Mags, you don’t have any right.”

“Oh stow it Kate, I have plenty of right.  I got caught in the middle of your stupid feud didn’t I?”

“Bones was more urban legend than reality by the time I joined the DEO,” Alex said.

“He was very much real,” Kate said.  “A terrorist the DEO brought in from the cold and gave a leadership position.  Your agency has a remarkably shady past.”

Alex clenched her fists by her sides.  “Thank-you, I am well aware of that fact, but that version of the DEO hasn’t existed for years, and Director Henshaw has been making great strides in cleaning up how we operate.”

“Never mind that it was Director Henshaw who allowed the rot to happen in the first place?”  Kate asked then smirked at Alex.

“There’s a great deal more to the story than you have the clearance to know about,” Alex said to Kate, who arched an eyebrow in response.

Maggie took another step towards where Alex and Kate were facing off.  “Ladies, this isn’t helping. Alex, Kate doesn’t want the DEO’s help, deal with it.  Kate, the DEO isn’t what you remember it as, trust me on this.  Now can we please move on?”  Alex and Kate both hung their heads and murmured apologies to Maggie.  “Alex, this is important.  When you go in to meet with Mannheim you can’t have any sort of radio transmitter on your, or in you.”

“Not even?”  Alex reached for her shoulder.

“Not even your implanted GPS tracker,” Maggie said.

“Okay, now before she reaches for knife,” Alex pointed at Kate.  “Let me make a phone call.”  She pulled out her cellphone and walked over to the far corner of the room while she dialed Winn’s number.

Back at the DEO Winn picked up his phone as he typed on his computer.  “Hey Alex, what can I do you for?”

“Winn shut up, I have an important question, is J’onn around?”

“No, he’s out at budget meeting or something.  It sounded bureaucratic so I wasn’t paying attention when he said it, but why should you care you’re on vacation.”

“Remember when I told you I was going to need a favor from you?”

“Rather vividly yes.”  Winn rubbed his bruised arm

“Well this is me asking you for a favor.”

“Hold on, a favor or the favor?  The article you use makes a big difference.”

“It’s a favor Winn, can we hurry this along?”

“Okay, okay, what is the favor you’re asking me for this time?”

“I need you to turn off my GPS tracker.”

“What?”  Winn asked as he involuntarily leapt out of his seat.  He looked around the room to see if anyone had noticed his outburst then sat down again.  He pressed the phone closer to his head before he spoke.  “Alex, that goes against every standing order we have.  Those trackers always stay on, always.”

“And right now it’s life and death important you turn mine off,” Alex said.  “Trust me on this Winn.”

“Technically this shouldn’t even be possible,” Winn said.

“But you’re going to do it because you’re Winn Schott and you’re an amazing technical genius,” Alex said.

“I like where this is going, keep it up,” Winn said as he typed on his computer.

“And you’re an incredible friend who is always there for us, with a minimum complaints..”

Winn paused in his typing then shrugged his shoulders.  “I’ll take it.”  He pushed enter on the keyboard.  “And there you go, your GPS tracker is deactivated until further notice.”

“And you’re the only person who knows this?”  Alex asked.

“Dont’ worry, J’onn and Kara are not going to find out.  Unless they ask me, at which point all bets are off lady.”

“I can’t ask for anything more.  Thanks so much Winn.  You are a literal life saver.”

“I don’t get to ask what you’re up to?”

“No you don’t.  Thanks again Winn, drinks are on me when I get back to National City.”  Alex hung up the phone before Winn had a chance to reply.  “Okay that’s all taken care of.”

“And do you trust your friend did what he said he did?”  Kate asked.

“I obviously am with my life so that should be proof enough for you,” Alex replied.  “Besides, showing up with a fresh wound on my arm would be pretty suspicious too.”

“Kate, I know Winn.  If he says he turned Alex’s tracker off, then the tracker is off,” Maggie said.

“Fine, her tracker is off, hooray.  Assuming she gets by the Intergang scans we might have a  shot at pulled his off,” Kate said as she threw up her arms.

“You’re just mad that you didn’t get to cut me,” Alex said.

Kate crossed her arms in front of her.  “That’s not the only reason.”

“I’m glad we’re being honest with each other,” Alex said.  “Though it does make me a little worried about what might happen if I get caught in a jam.”

“Oh give it a rest Danvers, I might not like you, but I won’t abandon you to Intergang if that’s what you’re afraid of.”

“Would you both please knock it off with the posturing?”  Maggie said.  “You’re both tough, formidable ladies who are going to act like professionals when the mission begins for real so lets start with that now instead of later.”

Alex looked between Kate and Maggie then down at her feet.  “You’re right Maggie, absolutely right.  I’m a professional, we have a job, I’m going to do the job regardless of how I feel about who I’m doing the job with.”

Kate stepped in closer to Alex.  “I don’t like you DEO, and that isn’t going to change.”

“Kate,” Maggie said.

Kate looked back at her ex-fiancee and sighed.  “But you’re all I have to work with so I’ll have to make do, and I’ll stop questioning your abilities, at least until you prove you can’t hack it, but you’ll be dead by then so you won’t care.”

Alex smirked at Kate.  “You’re forgetting my secret weapon.”

“What is this secret weapon you keep insisting you own.”

“If I told you it wouldn’t be a secret,” Alex said.  “Look, you have things you aren’t telling me.  This is the only thing I’m not telling you, but don’t worry it’s nothing Intergang will find on me or jeopardize my cover in anyway.”

“I think I know what this so-called ‘secret weapon’ is, and trust me.  It’s nothing for you to be worried about,” Maggie said.

Kate rounded on Maggie.  “Then why not tell me the truth?”

“In this case, because honestly it’s funnier if you don’t know and why spoil the surprise?” Maggie shrugged her shoulders.

“It has nothing to do with the DEO if that makes you feel any better,” Alex said.

Kate let out a low growl.  “If the two of you want to have a joke at my expanse then by all means go right ahead.”

Alex held up her hands.  “If everything goes according to plan we’ll never even have to worry about secret weapons and this will all have been talk.”

“I hope you’re right Agent Danvers, get back to reviewing your cover.  Your interview with Mannheim is early tomorrow so don’t spent the night out on the town.”  Kate pulled her cowl and wig back on and walked out of the bedroom with a flourish.

Maggie looked over at Alex.  “Just tell me one thing.  Is your secret weapon what I think it is?”

Alex crossed her arms and smirked.  “I can neither confirm nor deny.”

Maggie shook her head.  “At least you haven’t lost your sense of humor Danvers.  Now study up, I’d hate to have to explain to your sister how you wound up dead.’  Maggie walked out of the bedroom, leaving Alex alone with her dossier.

-To Be Continued


	5. Gonna See What Them Racket Boys Can Do

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: All the characters contained in this story are the propery of DC Comics and Warner Brothers. No infringement is intended.
> 
> Spoilers: This takes place directly after the Crisis on Earth-X crossover.
> 
> * * *

Alex walked into the grand lobby of The Boardwalk, the casino Intergang used as a front for all of its Atlantic City operations.  She wore a plain, dark blue suit and a shirt lined with Winn’s special Kevlar weave.  He insisted it was virtually indestructible, but Alex had no desire to find out first hand if that was true or not.

She took a moment to take note of her surroundings, paying special attention to the numerous men in the lobby all dressed in suits similar to hers and sporting radio ear pieces to go along with the conspicuous bulges at their hips from holstered firearms.

Alex pushed the thought of the guards to one side and approached the front desk.  She reached into the pocket of her blazer and pulled out a silver poker chip with the logo of the casino emblazoned on it that Kate had given her before she left for the casino.  “Hi there,” Alex said to the receptionist.  “I was told to bring this here and show it to the front desk.”  She placed the poker chip down on the counter.

The receptionist’s eyes grew wide when she saw the chip. “That’s, I mean,” the receptionist took a deep breath to center herself.  “Yes, I would be delighted to help you today ma’am.  This is one of our Premium VIP chips and it entitles you to an all expenses stay at the Boardwalk.  All I need is your name and we can get started on checking you in.”

“Of course, my name is Alex Dantonio,” Alex said.

“Very good, if you could just wait over there in the bar a member of our VIP concierge staff will be with you in no time.”

Alex nodded in understanding and walked into the bar attached to the lobby.  “What’re you having?” the bartender asked when Alex sat down at the bar.

“Just a club soda,” Alex said.  “I’m meeting someone and I want to keep a clear head.”

“I don’t need your life story, just your drink order.”  The bartender filled a pint glass then set it down in front of Alex.  “Lemon or lime?”

“Lime, please,” Alex replied.  She put on her best fake smile as the bartender placed a wedge of lime on the rim of her glass before turning his attention to another of his customers.

Alex sipped on her club soda as she waited for Mannheim’s representative to meet her.  Alex didn’t have to wait long before she saw an older man with slicked back graying hair enter the bar.  He was dressed in an expensive suit that Alex figured was Italian in origin.  Between the man’s clothes and his bearing Alex had no doubt that this was Mannheim’s man.  She continued to nurse her club soda as she waited for him to approach her.

“Ms. Dantonio?” The man asked as he slid onto the bar stool next to Alex.

“Who's asking?”

“Carmine Abruzzi, I run the Premium VIP program here at The Boardwalk.”

Alex turned in her seat to look at Abruzzi.  “Nice to make your acquaintance.”

“Before we go any further may I please see your chip?  I need to verify its authenticity.”

Alex handed over the chip.  “Of course, do you get many people trying to scam a Premium VIP experience from the casino.”

Abruzzi took the chip and held it up to a reader he produced from his pocket.  “Ms. Dantionio you have no idea.”  Out of the corner of her eye Alex saw a pair of guards make their way over to where Alex and Abruzzi were seated.  The reader flashed green and Abruzzi discretely waved the guards off.  “What do you know, it’s the real deal.  If you’d follow me please we can start right away on your premium VIP experience.”  Abruzzi stood up and Alex followed suit.

As Alex turned to walk away from the bar, a drunk gambler dressed in a disheveled suit and holding a rocks glass full of whiskey crashed into Alex.  “Oh I’m so sorry,” the drunk said in thick Jersey accent.  “Did I spill any on you?”

Alex straightened her hair and took stock of herself.  “No, I’m fine, it’s okay.”

“Hey buddy, if you don’t watch where you’re going your presence in this establishment will be no longer be tolerated,” Abruzzi said.

The drunk quailed under the weight of Abruzzi’s gaze until Alex stepped between them.  “He, hey it’s okay.  It was as much my fault as his and no harm done, so why don’t we all go our separate ways.”

Abruzzi unclenched his fest then waved his hand.  “Go on, get out of here,” he told the drunk who bobbed his head then scurried away from Abruzzi and Alex.

Alex watched the man walk out of the bar.  Abruzzi noticed Alex’s interest in the drunk.  “Did that bum mean anything to you?”

Alex shook her head.  “I’ve never seen him before in my life.”

“That’s life in Atlantic City, nothing but a string of drunk bums looking to upset your day.”  He waged a finger at Alex.  “But don’t let that get you down kid.  We’ve got a VIP experience to treat you to, follow me.”

Alex followed Abruzzi through the bar until they came to a stop in front of a door with a handprint scanner for a lock.  “That is some very fancy security you have here,” Alex said.

“Nothing but the best here at The Boardwalk,” Abruzzi said.  “We make sure our behind closed doors business stays behind closed doors.”

“You’re doing a great job of that,” Alex said as the door swung shut behind her and closed with a soft hiss.

“Good, now that we’re in the back we can drop the act.  There are too many ears out on the casino floor to talk in the open.”  Abruzzi motioned for Alex to follow him as he walked down the featureless hallway.  “So you want to sign on a muscle for Mr. Mannheim, do I have that right?”

“It seems like a career move that will enrich me both financially and professionally,” Alex said.

“We have high standards for our mercenaries.  Do you think you’re up for the job?”

Alex squared her shoulders.  “I can’t think of anyone better.”

“An ego, I like that, just remember if Mr. Mannheim does select you it doesn’t mean you’re a member of Intergang, just that you work for us.”

“Out of curiosity, how would I become a member?”

“You are a long way from even learning that,” Abruzzi said.  “Do this job first, and if you’re good at it then maybe we can find you something else to do in the organization.”

“First things first in other words,” Alex said.

“That’s right, first things first.”  They came to a stop in front of another locked door.  “Are you ready?”

Alex nodded her head.  “Always.”

“Good answer,” Abruzzi opened the door and motioned for Alex to step inside the room.

Alex looked around and found herself in a large, unadorned space lit by bare fluorescent lights.  Four men in suits stood in the middle of the room.  The door behind her swung shut and Alex turned to see that Abruzzi had locked her in with the men, who had started to advance on Alex.

“I take it you boys are the welcoming committee?”  Alex asked.  She dropped into a fighting stance as they withdrew saps and clubs from underneath their jackets.  “Are you sure you brought enough men?”  Alex said before she launched herself at her attackers.

A man holding a nightstick swung at Alex’s head.  Alex ducked under the blow and punched him in his exposed arm pit.  The shock of the punch caused him to drop the nightstick.  Alex picked it up and knocked him out with a solid blow to the head.  

She rolled backwards to avoid the other three attackers, then lashed out at the feet of the man closest to her, knocking him to the ground.  Alex blocked another strike with the nightstick and kicked the man in the stomach.  She spun and threw the nightstick at the fourth attacker, hitting him in the face.  The last standing attacker charged Alex, but she slipped his attack and caught him in the back of the head with a karate chop.

Alex surveyed the room to see if any other attackers were going to show themselves.  The door on the opposite end of the room opened and three more men entered.  Alex picked up the nightstick, settled back into her fighting pose and waited as the men approached her.  As they got closer she could hear one of the men applauding.  The man clapping stepped into the light and revealed himself to be Bruno Mannheim.  Alex straightened and wiped a trace of blood from her lip.

“You fight well,” Mannheim said.

“You were about to say for a girl weren’t you,” Alex said.

“Not while you’re holding that nightstick I ain’t,” Mannheim said.

Alex gestured at the men standing back up.  “So what the hell was this, some sort of deranged job interview?”

Mannheim shrugged.  “I like to make sure the people working in my security detail are as good as they say they are.”

“A little warning next time would be nice,” Alex said.

“I like this one, she’s not afraid to speak her mind,” Mannheim said.  “Okay here’s how it’s going to be.  For right now Carmine will be your contact with the organization.  No offense, but we don’t trust you so your access to our facility here will be limited.  I trust you have living arrangements already taken care of?”  Alex nodded her head.  “Good, Carmine will give you phone.  No matter where you re or what you’re doing when it rings you answer it.  Do I make myself clear?”

“Crystal,” Alex said.  “What about my pay?”

Mannheim laughed.  “It’s a little presumptuous to be talking pay before you’ve done any work don’t you think?”

“I’m a professional Mr. Mannheim, I never work for free.”

“I like your attitude kid.  Carmine will go over your compensation and benefits package.  Don’t you worry Ms. Dantonio, we take care of our employees at Intergang.”

“That’s encouraging to hear,” Alex said.  “The freelancer gig is short of benefits and long on danger.”

“Those days are all in the past,” Mannheim said.  “You be good to us and we’ll be good to you.”

“And just, you know, hypothetically speaking, what would happen if I wasn’t good to you?  Not that I’m planning on it mind you, I always give one hundred and ten percent to every job.”

“We’ll chop you up into so many pieces nobody will ever be put you back together again,” Mannheim said.

Alex swallowed deeply.  “That’s, right, nope, not going to let you down.”

Mannheim smiled at Alex.  “Good, I’m glad to see we have an understanding then.  Now if you’ll just follow Carmine he’ll finish your on boarding process.  I have another meeting to attend, but it was nice to meet you Ms. Dantonio and I look forward to working more closely with you.”

“I do too Mr. Mannheim,” Alex said.  She forced a smile onto her face.

Mannheim snapped his fingers and his security detail followed him out of the room, leaving Alex alone with Abruzzi.  “You don’t need that anymore.”  Abruzzi pointed at the nightstick Alex was still holding.

Alex looked around the empty room.  “I’m not entirely sure that’s true.”

“Trust me kid, from this point on if somebody in Intergang wants to whack you they’ll use something with more kick than a billy club.”

Alex tightened her grip on the nightstick.  “My mother taught me to never leave my toys where people could trip on them.”

 “I promise you though that no one is going to jump you.”  Abruzzi shrugged his shoulders.   “I can see that’s lost on you, suit yourself. Follow me and can fill out some paperwork.”

Alex stared at Abruzzi.  “There’s paperwork?”

“Of course there’s paperwork, what kind of a fly by night outfit do you think we run here?”  Abruzzi lead Alex out of the room and back into the corridor they had entered from.  “We have an entire HR department.”

“I would not have guessed that,” Alex said.

“It’s not like we’re filing withholding with the federal government of course.”

“Of course not,” Alex said.

“But there’s still plenty of other reasons to have a HR department.”  Abruzzi held open a door for Alex who walked through and found herself in a well-appointed foyer that stood in stark contrast to the featureless hallway they had been walking in.  An elevator was located on the opposite end of the room.  “You didn’t think my office was in the basement did you?”  Abruzzi said to Alex.

“How much of your casino is a casino versus a base of operations,” Alex asked as she surveyed the art that hung on the walls.

Abruzzi pushed the elevator’s call button.  “It’s mostly casino, but you don’t need to know the break down of our business operations, do you.”

“No, of course not,” Alex said.  “Just trying to get the lay of the land.”

The elevator door opened with a soft ding.  “There’s a line between getting the lay of the land and asking too many questions.”

Alex stepped onto the elevator.  “And I would be wise not to cross that line?”

“Only if you don’t want a bullet in the back of your skull,” Abruzzi said.  He jabbed a button on the elevator’s control panel.

“Good advice, I’ll keep that in mind,” Alex said.  She fidgeted with the nightstick she was still holding.

The rest of the elevator ride took place in silence and Abruzzi then lead Alex into his office which overlooked the Atlantic Ocean.  Abruzzi sat down behind a large oak desk and motioned for Alex to sit as well.  Alex dropped the nightstick on the desk then pulled out her phone.

“Is there a pressing call you were expecting?”  Abruzzi asked.

Alex looked at Abruzzi, tapped a button on her phone then placed it back into her pocket.  “Sorry, no, bad habit, just checking to see if my sister left me any messages.  She’s always a little on edge when I’m out of town.”

“Family, what can you do about them?”

“I’m sure you have plenty of ideas,” Alex said.  She coughed when Abruzzi didn’t respond.  “That was a joke. So, uh, what do you need me to sign?”

—xxx—xxx—xxx—xxx—xxx—

Back at the DEO Winn sat at his desk typing on his computer when it pinged with an alert.  Confused he turned his attention to his other monitor.  His eyes grew wide when he saw the Intergang logo pop up on his screen.  “What in the world is going on?”  Winn said aloud to himself.

Mon-El was walking through the command center and heard Winn’s outburst.  “Is something wrong buddy?” He asked as he came to a stop behind Winn

“No, well kind of, maybe,” Winn sighed and pointed at his computer screen.  “Somebody used a DEO phone to breach a computer network that belongs to Intergang.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“It’s an incredibly dangerous thing.  The only way the tool I built could even penetrate their systems is if something is physically next to an Intergang computer, and I don’t have to tell you how risky that is.”

“Let’s pretend that you do have to tell me,” Mon-El said.

Winn sighed and spun around in his chair.  “They’re an absurdly powerful crime syndicate that Superman’s been fighting for years.”

“And now someone from the DEO was able to get into their computer network.  That’s great isn’t it?”

“As far as I know we don’t have any agents trying to infiltrate Intergang.  Unless,” Winn’s voice tailed off.

“Unless what Winn?”

“Alex called me yesterday and had me turn off her GPS tracker.  That’s exactly the sort of thing you’d do if you were about to go undercover with a tech-savvy outfit like Intergang, and before you ask, they won’t notice my backdoor into their network because I am that good.”

Mon-El rubbed his beard.  “So what you’re telling me Winn, is that Alex has gone undercover with the most dangerous criminal organization on the planet and didn’t tell anyone?”

“Looks that way.”

“We have to tell someone.  Kara, J’onn, they have to know this.”

Winn leapt out of his chair.  “Hold on there buddy, I got the impression Alex didn’t want either f them to know about this, and do you want to go against what Alex wants?”  He wrapped his arm around Mon-El’s shoulders.  “And hear the disapproving Alex voice?”

Mon-El took a step away from Winn.  “Ah no, good point.  Keep an eye on that and if it looks like Alex is in trouble then let J’onn and Kara know.”

Winn saluted Mon-El.  “You got it.”

Mon-El tapped Winn on the shoulder.  “Good talk buddy.”  Mon-El left the command center and Winn slumped back into his chair.

-To Be Continued-


	6. Down Here it’s Just Winners and Losers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: All the characters contained in this story are the propery of DC Comics and Warner Brothers. No infringement is intended.
> 
> Spoilers: This takes place directly after the Crisis on Earth-X crossover.
> 
> * * *

At the hotel suite Kate watched Maggie pace back and forth across the room.  “We haven’t heard from her yet.  Why haven’t we heard from her?”

Kate stretched out on the sofa.  “Calm down Mags, she’s fine.”

Maggie came to a stop then turned to face Kate.  “How can you be so sure about that?”

“You for starters, bringing Alex in was your idea, and you had to figure she could handle the job.”  Kate leaned forward on the sofa.  “You still care about her don’t you?”

“Of course I still care about her.”

“No, I mean you really care about her.”

Maggie drew in a long breath.  “We’ve been over this.  It won’t work out between me and Alex, but that doesn’t mean I have to hate her.”

A smile played across Kate’s face.  “I think it’s cute.”

Maggie set her hands on her hips.  “Oh so you think it’s cute.”

Kate pushed herself up to her feet and walked over to Maggie.  She wrapped her arms around her ex-fiancee.  “I didn’t mean that in a bad way.  Now buck up Maggie, your friend is going to come through for us.”

Maggie returned the hug.  “Thanks for the pep talk.”

“Anytime.”

The door to the suite opened and Alex walked into the room, causing Kate and Maggie to quickly step away from each other.  “Hey you two, what’s going on?”  Alex asked.

“I think we’re the one who should be asking you that,” Kate said.  “You’re still alive so I assume you’re now an employee of Intergang?”

“I have a benefits cards and everything,” Alex said.

“Did you find out anything about the arms deal?”  Kate asked.

Alex walked over to the bar and poured herself a drink.  “Of course not.  Do you want me to get myself killed?  Questions like that on your first day are a sure way to end up dead.”

“I understand, but we don’t have a lot of time to work with here.”

Alex took a sip of her drink then smiled.  “It’s a good thing I had this then isn’t it?”  She reached into her jacket pocket and withdrew her phone.  “Thanks to my good friend Winn, we now have access to Intergang’s computers.”

“What, but how?” Kate stared at the phone.

“Computers aren’t my thing so I don’t fully know how it works, just that it does.  Get this phone close to any computer and it will wirelessly hack it, then link it to the DEO.  he entire operation is undetectable.”

“Winn Schott, you utter mad genius,” Maggie said.

“That’s what I told him when he first showed it to me,” Alex said.  “We are incredibly lucky he never felt the urge to follow in his father’s footsteps.”

“That was a stupid risk to take,” Kate said.

“More of a risk than what you were asking me to do?”  Alex said.  “Because my way is the best way to find the information you say we so desperately need.  I’ll call up Winn and have him locate where the buy is going to take place.  All the while I continue to pose as an ‘innocent’ mercenary asking no awkward questions and arousing no suspicions.”

“So you have it all figured out then,” Kate said.

“Danvers, are you sure Winn’s gizmo is undetectable?”  Maggie asked.

Alex shrugged.  “That’s what Winn says and if anyone should know it would be him.  Look, I know it was a risk, a huge one in fact, but the chance to get this much intel on an organization like Intergang, I had to take it.  Kate you’re talking about stopping one arms deal, but with what Winn could find we have a shot at taking down their entire operation.”

“That’s a pipe dream at best,” Kate said.

“I like to think big,” Alex said.

Maggie stepped in between Alex and Kate.  “Ladies, there’s no sense in arguing over something we can’t change.  Alex gave us a tremendous advantage here Kate.”

“Assuming Intergang doesn’t find the leak in their computer network,” Kate said.

“But Alex, you shouldn’t have hacked their system without consulting us first, or even letting us know it was a possibility.  It was too big a risk for you to unilaterally decide to take.”

“That’s, okay you’re right, I should have told you what I was planning.  Even if you, or rather she, wouldn’t have like it,” Alex said.

Maggie nodded her head.  “I for one accept your apology.  Kate, how about you?”

Kate grimaced.  “You went off book DEO, I don’t appreciate that, or the risk it presents to the operation.  Still, you’re right, it’s a potential windfall of intel, even if it requires having to deal with the DEO.”

“Not the DEO, my friend Winn, he’s no stranger to independent operations.”

“He works for the DEO, that means he’s DEO, no matter what else he does,” Kate said.  She flexed her hand into a fist.  “But Mags says I can trust him, so that’s what I’ll do.”

“Great, I’ll give him a call to tell him what to look for,” Alex said.  Before she had a chance to do so her Intergang provided phone started to ring.  She held up a finger and walked into her bedroom.  “This is Dantonio.”

“Why did it take so long for you to answer?”  Abruzzi asked Alex.

“I had to get somewhere I could talk in private,” Alex replied.  “Cut me some slack.”

“Never, look we have a job for you.”

“I’m listening.”

“Get back to The Boardwalk.  There’s a VIP we need someone to babysit.”

“Sounds glamorous,” Alex said.

“It’s the kind of work you do until you prove yourself to us, like it or lump it.”

“I’m not complaining, just making an observation,” Alex said.

“The Boardwalk in a half an hour or don’t bother showing up at all,” Abruzzi said then hung up the phone.

Alex walked back into the living room.  “I have my first job for the mob, I’ll keep my eyes and ears open.”  

Maggie gave Alex a hug.  “Stay safe out there Danvers, I don’t want to have to explain to your sister how I let you die.”

“I’ll be sure to watch my back,” Alex said before she left the suite.

Maggie looked over at Kate.  “Are you going to look after her?”

Kate shuffled her feet.  “I could, I don’t know how much use I’d be to her if something goes wrong though.”  Maggie glared at Kate.  “Okay, okay, I’ll go and keep watch on the casino.”

“Thanks Kate, you’re the best.”

—xxx—xxx—xxx—xxx—xxx—

Alex met Abruzzi in the back of The Boardwalk.  “Here on time,” Alex said to Abruzzi.  “So who am I babysitting?”

Abruzzi motioned for Alex to follow him.  “We have guest from the old country, Mr. Vittori.  He needs someone to watch over a card game he’s hosting tonight.”

“Are you expecting trouble?”  Alex asked.  They boarded an elevator.

“No, but it wouldn’t do if something was to happen to Mr. Vittori while he’s staying under Mr. Mannheim’s roof.”

Alex nodded her head.  “Understood.”

Abruzzi reached into his jacket and pulled out a holstered pistol which he handed to Alex.  “The gun is clean, but only use it if you absolutely have to.  We don’t want to have to explain to the police why a gun was fired on the premises/”

“Of course,” Alex said.

The elevator arrived at its destination and Abruzzi lead Alex through the wide hallways of the hotel.  He came to a stop and knocked on a door.  After a short wait the door opened and an elderly man wearing a white linen suit stepped into the hall.  He held his arms out when he saw Abruzzi and the two men shared an embrace.

“Carmine,” Vitorri said in accented English.  “So good to see you again.  And this is my guard for the evening?”  He looked Alex up and down.

“Si Don Vittori, Alex Dantonio, she’s a new addition to our security detail,” Abruzzi said.  “Does she fit your requirements?”

“Si, si, thank-you very much Carmine.  Will you be attending tonight?”

“No Signor Vittori, I’ve lost enough money to you in the past to know better.”

Vittori laughed.  “Not even if I promise to go easy on you?”

“You never go easy on anyone Signor, that is your defining characteristic,” Abruzzi said.  He then turned his attention to Alex.  “This man is my friend, you make sure nothing bad happens to him and that all his need are met, do I make myself clear?”

“I’m a bodyguard, not a hostess,” Alex said.  “I don’t want to come across as not wanting to do my job, but if I’m serving canapés or taking drink orders I’m not keeping the subject safe.” Alex clasped her hands behind her back.

“I like her,” Vittori said.  “She thinks for herself.”

“You don’t have to serve his drinks, but watch the attitude,” Abruzzi said.  “Signor, are we still on for brunch tomorrow?”

“Of course Carmine,” Vittori said.  “I look forward to it.”

“In that case I will see you then,” Abruzzi said.  The two men shared another hug then Abruzzi walked back towards the elevators, leaving Alex alone with Vitorri.

“Okay, let’s get you back into the room and make sure everything is secure shall we?”  Alex said.  She walked past Vittori and into the suite.  “Starting now I’m the only person who can answer the door.  The curtains stay drawn and you don’t go near the windows, do you understand?”

Vittori bobbed his head up and down.  “Si, si, signora, my life is in your hands.”

As the evening went on a small group of elderly men made their way to Vittori’s suite.  Alex had no doubt that they were all mafia like Vittori. She did her best to try and listen in on their conversations as discretely as possible, but the steady stream of casino staff delivering food and drinks made that complicated.  Alex’s mood was not helped by the looks Vittori sent her way.  She could tell he wanted something from her, and that thought did not leave her feeling comfortable about where the evening was headed.

Alex’s focus was interrupted when she noted one of Vittori’s guests about to grope a member of the wait staff who was clearing empty dishes from the table.  Alex grabbed the man’s arm and twisted it back.  “Keep your hands to yourself,” she told the man as everyone else at the table leaned back in their chairs and stared.  The wait staff scrambled out of the room.  Alex watched the men at the table carefully to see if any of them were going to make a move for a gun.

“Signora Dantonia, is this really necessary?”  Vittori asked.  “Johnny wasn’t going to hurt the lady, were you Johnny?”

Johnny winced as Alex tightened her grip on his arm.  “No Signor Vittori, I was just having a little fun is all.”

“I don’t think the lady appreciated Johnny’s brand of fun,” Alex said.  She let go of Johnny and shoved him against the table.

“I think you’ve had your fun, haven’t you Johnny?”  Vittori asked.  “In fact, I think we’ve all had our fill of fun for the night.  Pardon signors, but I know some of you have important work to attend to tomorrow.  It has been a lovely evening and I look forward to our next party.”  One by one the men said their goodbyes to Vittori, eventually leaving hime alone with Alex in the suite.

“Mr. Vittori, if you called off your game because of what I did,” Alex said.

Vittori held up a hand, cutting Alex off.  “I do not think you are actually sorry for your actions so do not insult me by flinging regret,” Vittori said.  “And I am okay with that.  Johnny can be a pig and needs to be reminded of his manners from time to time.”

Alex started to edge her way to the door.  “I’m glad to hear you say that.”

“I must confess, though that I do have a question for you signora before I let you go for the night.”

“No one tried to kill you if that’s what you’re wondering, or tried to cheat at cards for that matter,” Alex said.

“That was not the question I had in mind,” Vittori said.  “Won’t you sit down and have a drink with me?”  He held out his hand to indicate the suite’s sofa.

Alex’s back stiffened and she clasped her hands behind her back.  “That would not be appropriate Mr. Vittori, even if,” Alex paused.  “Even if I wanted to.  I’ve been assigned to protect you.  I take the job seriously.”

“Then you are no longer protecting me,” Vittori said with a wave of his hand.  “Truth be told I didn’t need a body guard tonight, but Carmine insisted so I asked that he at least make sure it is a beautiful woman looking over me and here you are.”  He kissed his fingertips.  “Magnifico.”

“Mr. Vittori, I think some signals got crossed somewhere because this is not what I agreed to.”  Alex held up an index finger to ward off Vittori.  “My assignment is over so I’ll be going.  I hope you have a lovely rest of your evening.”  Alex started to walk towards the door.

Exhibiting faster reflexes than Alex was expecting Vittori stepped in between her and the door.  “Signora Dantonio, up to now I have done my best not to take offense at your behavior.”

Alex sighed and punched Vittori in the face.  “Try not to take offense to this.  A, I’m not interested.  B, you’re not my type.  Now have a good day.”  Alex stormed out of the suite as Vittori swore at her in Italian through a bloody nose.

As she walked out of the casino Alex pulled out her Intergang phone and dialed Abruzzi.  “What the hell was that?  I am not a whore,” she said without preamble.

“Signor Vittori got fresh with you?”  Abruzzi asked.  “My apologies, sometimes he forgets what year it is.”

“I did not appreciate it,” Alex said.  “You hired me to be a bodyguard, not a prostitute.”

“Of course, of course.  Is Signor Vittori still in one piece?”

“His ego might be bruised, but otherwise he’s fine.  No one tried to kill him with a playing card.”

“That’s good to hear, congratulations on completing your first job for the organization.  Why don’t you meet with me and we can discuss your next assignment.”

“Now?”  Alex asked.

“Can you think of a better time?  I’ll send you the location, you have thirty minutes.”  Abruzzi hung up on Alex.  Her phone vibrated and she saw the address for the meeting on the screen.

Alex sighed and shoved the phone back into her [pocket.  She turned to continue on her way when a skateboarder crashed into her shoulder.  “Hey, watch where you’re going,” she said.

The teen glared at her.  “Watch where you’re going lady.”  She dropped his skateboard then weaved his way through the crowd outside the casino.  Alex sighed again as she watched the teen vanish into the crowd then motioned for a taxi to pick her up.

—xxx—xxx—xxx—xxx—xxx—

The meeting place was an abandoned storage facility filled with halfway destroyed warehouses.  Alex slipped through a hole in the chainlink fence that surrounded the facility and walked towards the only warehouse with a car parked in front of it.  Along the way she spotted a trio of homeless men standing around an oil barrel with a fire burning in it.  One of the bums took notice of Alex, but quickly returned his attention to the fire when he saw she wasn’t headed towards them.

As Alex approached the derelict warehouse she briefly considered reaching for the gun Abruzzi had given her, then decided that wouldn’t be the best look when she met Abruzzi.  “This might be a trap, but I can’t let him know that I know it’s a trap,” she said to herself as she walked through a door in the side of the warehouse.

Inside she found Abruzzi and two other men waiting for her.  “So you found the place, good,” Abruzzi said.  One of the guards circled around Alex so he stood between her and the door.  

“What’s going on?”  Alex asked.

“I gave you a job, it was a simple one, take care of my friend,” Abruzzi said.

“He’s still alive isn’t he?”

“Alive yes, happy no,” Abruzzi replied with a shrug.

Alex squared her shoulders.  “I already told you, I’m not a prostitute.”

“This has nothing to do with you sleeping with the man for money.  You made him look bad in front of his friends, and you hurt his ego, along with his face.  Not sleeping with him is one thing, beating him up is another matter entirely.”

“I hope you’re not expecting an apology,” Alex said.  “Because that’s not happening, I didn’t sign up with your crew to be treated like this.”

“You’re a woman of principles, I can respect that.”  Abruzzi rolled his shoulders.  “But no, Ms. Dantonio, we are long past the point where an apology will make a difference.”

“So what will?”  Alex asked.  She tensed as she waited for Abruzzi’s reply.

“That’s simple,” Abruzzi said as he reached into his jacket and withdrew a pistol.  “I’ll have to let you go.”

-To Be Continued-


	7. Gonna be a Rumble Out on the Promenade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: All the characters contained in this story are the propery of DC Comics and Warner Brothers. No infringement is intended.
> 
> Spoilers: This takes place directly after the Crisis on Earth-X crossover.
> 
> * * *

Alex stared at the gun in Abruzzi’s hand.  “Isn’t there someway we could talk this over?”

“That opportunity went away when you laid hands on my friend,” Abruzzi said.

“So what was I supposed to do, just lie back and think of England?”  Alex shook her head.  “Sorry, the world doesn’t work that way anymore.”

Abruzzi cocked the hammer on his pistol.  “Too bad for you that in this world it still does.”

“Honestly, I feel sorry for what’s about to happen to you,” Alex said.

Before Abruzzi could respond to Alex’s threat, the homeless man Alex had seen earlier stepped into the warehouse.  “What’s going on in…whoa.”  

Abruzzi pointed his gun at the man.  “Get him out of here,” he said to one of his guards.

“You want me to whack him boss?”  the guard asked.  “On account of he’s seen too much.”

Abruzzi shrugged.  “Might as well, disappearing two bodies isn’t much harder than one.”

The bum raised his hands as the gangster advanced on him.  “Hey man, this is really uncool.  I was just looking to see if the young lady had any spare change.”

“Buddy, you picked the wrong lady to panhandle,” the mobster said.

Before the guard could shoot the man he was enveloped by crackling red energy and morphed into the Martian form of J’onn J’onzz.  J’onn grabbed the shocked mobster and threw him into a wall.  

Alex seized the opportunity and dove for cover behind a pile of fallen concrete.  She drew her gun and leaned out from her cover to take stock of the situation.  She watched as J’onn effortlessly tossed Abruzzi’s other guard around the warehouse.

Alex spotted Abruzzi trying to slip out of the warehouse under the cover of the confusion of the fight.  “Oh no you don’t,” Alex said to herself.  She ran after Abruzzi and tackled him to the ground.  “Don’t you dare move you sonovabitch,” Alex said to Abruzzi.

J’onn floated down to where Alex had Abruzzi corralled and morphed back into his human form.  “Alex, are you okay?”

“I’m fine sir.  That was you wasn’t it?  You were everyone who’s bumped into me on this trip.”

J’onn smiled.  “I couldn’t let you take on Intergang all by yourself.”

“I had it under control,” Alex said.

J’onn looked around at the bullet-strewn warehouse.  “I can see that.  What exactly was your plan to get out of this?”

“I had someone watching over me.  You can show yourself now, he’s a friend,” Alex called out.  Kate descended from a hidden spot in the ceiling dressed in her Batwoman costume.

“Just so you know, I was about to save you when your friend showed up,” Kate said.  “Want to introduce me to him?”

“J’onn J’onzz, meet Batwoman, she’s my partner on this mission,” Alex said.

“Batwoman, as Director of the DEO I want to formally apologize to you for the way Bones treated you.  If I had known what he was after I would’ve reigned him in far sooner than I did.”

“Thanks I guess?”  Kate said.  “I’m still stuck on the fact that the head of the DEO is really an alien.”

“Trust me, J’onn is an improvement over his predecessor.”

Kate looked J’onn up and down.  “If you say so.”

J’onn folded his arms across his chest.  “So what exactly are you doing here?”

“I was supposed to be undercover with Intergang to stop a weapons sale, but this asshole didn’t approve of how I reacted to one of his friends trying to get handsy with me.”  She waved a hand towards Abruzzi.

“So now we’re back to square one,” Kate said.

“Not exactly,” replied Alex.  She pulled out her cellphone and dialed Winn’s number.  “Hey Winn, that thing I sent you, did you find anything about a weapons sale?  You did, great, send it to my phone.  You’re the best.”

“Of course you got Winn to help you,” J’onn said.  “I’ll have to have a talk with him when we get back to the DEO.”

“Go easy on him sir, he only did what I asked him to do,” Alex said.

“What are we going to do with these guys?”  Kate asked.  “If they report back to Mannheim that superheroes are nosing around they’ll change the location of the meet and if that happens we are screwed.”

Alex looked over at J’onn.  “That might not be a as big a problem as you might think.  Can you fix this sir?”

J’onn touched two fingers to his temple.  “I think so.  I’ll make them think they killed you and disposed of your body.  That will cause fewer questions than outright erasing you from their minds.”

“That still doesn’t sound easy,” Alex said.

“It’s not, which is why I would appreciate some quiet.”

Alex put a hand on Kate’s arm.  “Let’s give J’onn some space.”

“What’s going on?”  Kate asked as Alex dragged her to the far end of the warehouse.

“J’onn’s psychic,” Alex said.  “He’s going to try to modify their memories.  It’s a very tricky operation.”

“He can read minds?”  Kate recoiled from Alex’s grasp.

“Don’t worry, he doesn’t read minds uninvited, unless he absolutely has to.  He doesn’t know who you are under that cowl.”

“That doesn’t make me feel better,” Kate said.  “You have some strange friends Danvers.”

“You don’t know the half of it,” Alex said.  “By the way, I’m sorry about all of this.  I really blew my undercover assignment, but I wasn’t about to let anyone treat me like that.”

“If you ask me, and you are, no undercover assignment is worth putting up with that.  You made the right call.”

Alex flashed Kate a wan smile.  “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

J’onn walked over to Alex and Kate.  “It’s done, when they wake up they’ll think you’re dead.”

“Which means we should be somewhere else when they do,” Kate said.

“Let’s meet back at the hotel,” Alex said.

“Is your boss going to be tagging along?”

Alex looked over at J’onn.  “Will you?”

“I’ve come all the way out here, I might as well make sure you get home in one piece, and you’ll need all the help you can get against Intergang.”

“How about it Batwoman, can the Martian Manhunter help us?”  Alex asked.

Kate sighed.  “I can’t exactly stop a telepathic shapeshifter from following us now can I?”

“You won’t regret this,” Alex said.  

Kate pulled her grapple gun out.  “I’d better not.”  She fired the grapple gun and vanished into the night sky.

“You get used to her,” Alex said.  “Kind of, maybe, I’ll get back to you about that.”

J’onn shifted back into his Martian for.  “Hold on tight.”

“Hold onto what?”  Alex’s question was cut off by J’onn picking her up and flying them away from the ruined warehouse.

—xxx—xxx—xxx—xxx—xxx—

J’onn landed on the balcony of the suite and set Alex down before morphing into his human appearance.  Alex pushed open the door and entered the suite.  Inside Maggie leapt to her feet when she saw Alex and J’onn.  “What are you doing here J’onn?”  Maggie asked.

“Saving Alex’s life,” J’onn replied.  “She did a bad job of making friends in Intergang.”

“J’onn’s been watching over me this entire time, without my knowledge.”  Alex glared at the DEO director.

“I wouldn’t be complaining if I were you since you obviously needed a save,” Maggie said.  “What happened?”

“I got into a disagreement with a visiting mafia don over the proper treatment of women and Intergang management didn’t side with me.”

“I should have known it was a bad idea to send a Danvers sister undercover into a hyper-masculine place like Intergang.  You can’t help yourself from trying to tear down the Patriarchy.”

Alex crossed her arms in front of her.  “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“Oh it’s not, but it does make it hard for you to be anyone but yourself.  Still, what’s done is done.  Did you at least manage to find the information on the arms deal?”

“Thanks to Winn we do,” Alex said.

Kate leapt onto the balcony and entered the suite.  “How did you get here ahead of me?”

“J’onn can fly,” Alex said.

“Great, another flying alien,” Kate said.  She looked over at Maggie.  “You knew about this didn’t you?  That an alien runs the DEO.”

“Of course I did.  I was dating Alex and I’m good at my job.  I was also under no obligation to tell you what I knew because it was none of your business.”

Kate pulled back her cowl and wig.  “Given my history with the DEO it was a little bit my business.”

“Stop being a petulant child,” Maggie said.

J’onn took a step towards Kate.  “Besides Ms. Kane, you have an arms deal to stop, and no, I didn’t read your mind, your identity is on file at the DEO.  Though I’m willing to destroy that information as a show of good faith.”

“We have her identity on file?”  Alex asked J’onn.

“It was a holdover from the fiasco with Bones.  Honestly I never should have kept his records, but we had other things to worry about at the time.”

“I had no idea the DEO knew who you really were,” Alex said to Kate.

Kate sighed.  “Okay, you convinced me, you only ever had the purest of intentions.  Now where is the arms deal happening?”

“Not the casino fortunately,” Alex said.  “The sale is happening tomorrow night in a parking lot by the ocean of all places.”

“That makes sense,” Maggie said.  “Do it out in the open so you can see anyone coming at you.”

“Who is buying the weapons anyway?”  J’onn asked.

“Representatives from Kasnia,” Kate said.  “My source didn’t know if they want the weapons for themselves, or if they’re the middleman for another group.”

J’onn rested his hands on his hips.  “Either way Kasnia cannot be allowed to acquire alien weapons.  You should have brought this to me sooner.”

“My distrust of the DEO is pretty well established at this point,” Kate said.  “Besides a friend of mine died getting me this information and I want to personally make sure his killers pay.”

“I was talking to these two,” J’onn said.  He waved his hand in Alex and Maggie’s direction.

Alex shook her head.  “I have no excuse sir.  I know better, but I went along with Batwoman anyway.”

“Be better next time,” J’onn said.  “Now how do you plan to stop Intergang?”  he asked Kate.

“We go where the sale is happening and beat them up,” Kate said.

“Simple and to the point, I like it,” Maggie said.

Alex looked around the room.  “I am definitely bringing my big gun to this party.”

“Is this the secret weapon you’ve kept hinting at?”  Kate asked.

“No, it’s a gun I picked up when I was on an alien planet, it packs quite a punch.”  Alex walked past Kate on her way to her room.

“I’m starting to think you don’t actually have a secret weapon.”

“Oh she does,” J’onn said with a chuckle, “And no, it’s not me.”

Kate sighed.  “Okay fine, keep on being mysterious.  I can see you’re all enjoying keeping me in the dark about this so-called secret weapon of hers.”  She spun on her heels and walked into her room.

—xxx—xxx—xxx—xxx—xxx—

The next night Alex and Maggie stood outside their rental car in an alley across the street from the location of the arms deal.  Maggie stared at the parking lot through a pair of binoculars.  “Okay, we’ve got a trio of SUVs pulling in,” she said into the radio.  “It’s Mannheim.”

From a nearby rooftop Kate toggled on her radio.  “All we need now are the buyers.”

Alex watched as the Intergang goons spread out around the parking lot, setting up a perimeter.  “I count twelve men, plus Mannheim.”

“Heads up, more cars incoming,” Maggie said.  “And these have Kaznian diplomatic tags.”

“Everyone get ready,” Kate said.

“Move in when they exchange the merchandise,” Maggie said.  She and Alex got into the car and Maggie started the engine.  Alex drew her alien blaster and nodded to Maggie.

“I see cases, move in,” Kate said over the radio.  She leapt off the roof and used her cape to glide across the street.  She landed on top of a street lamp for a moment then jumped down, twisted in the air, and landed on top of the weapon crates.

“Do you have the proper documentation for these?”  Kate asked Mannheim.

“Batwoman!  What are you doing here?”  Mannheim asked.

“That’s easy, making sure these weapons don’t fall into the wrong hands.”  She punched Mannheim in the nose then threw a smoke grenade at the ground.  In the confusion she jumped off of the crates and dove into the shadows of the parked cars that circled the lot.

“Kill her!”  Mannheim shouted to his men as the tried to staunch his bloody nose.

“What is the meaning of this Mannheim, you promised me no interference from capes,” the head of the Kaznian delegation said.

“In that case he promised you too much,” J’onn said as he morphed from the shape of the one of the Intergang guards into his Martian form.  He grabbed the guard closest to him and threw him into two other mobsters.

The arrival of Alex and Maggie drew the attention of Intergang away from J’onn and Kate.  Alex leapt out of the rental car and aimed her alien gun at the gangsters.  “Federal agent, throw down your guns, you’re all under arrest!”  In response they started to fire at Alex, causing her to dive for cover.

“Great plan Danvers!”  Maggie shouted as she hid behind a parked car. 

“I’m holding their attention,” Alex replied.  She leaned out from behind her cover and fired a shot at the feet of a trio of gangsters.  The blast kicked up large chunks of asphalt and knocked the men off their feet.

“The Corto Maletese delegation is making a break for it!” Kate shouted.  She threw a batarang and knocked out the lead diplomat.  His security detail picked up up and threw him into a van.  Before they could drive off J’onn phased into the van’s engine bay and ripped out the engine.

Maggie saw Mannheim and his remaining men run towards the crates of alien weapons.  “Danvers, shoot the crates!”

Two of Mannheim’s guards noticed Alex aim at the weapon crates and they fired at her.  She ducked back into her cover and the bullets sailed by harmlessly.  That provided Mannheim the time he needed to arm himself with a large, alien-looking rifle.  “Okay, you wanted a piece of me, well come get it.”  He fired a shot at J’onn, knocking the Martian back into a parked car.  Before Alex had a chance to check on J’onn, Mannheim had turned his attention on her position.  She scurried away as Mannheim fired at the car she was hiding behind, causing it to explode in a fireball.

Alex rolled to a stop next to Maggie.  “I feel like we’ve been at the dance before,” Maggie said to Alex.

“We should’ve secured the weapons first,” Alex said.  “What a rookie mistake, is Kate okay?”

Maggie poked her head out from cover and saw Kate dodging a blast from one of the Intergang weapons.  “She’s doing about as well as we are.”

“That good huh?”

“I’m not one to tell you what to do, but this would a really good time to use your secret weapon.”

“I think you’re right,” Alex said.  She looked up into the air.  “I know you can hear me.  We could really use your help right about now, so whenever’s good for you do your thing!”  She shouted at the night sky.

“I saw you Sawyer,” Mannheim yelled.  “Show yourself and let me finish the job from back in the day.  You don’t have Superman to save you this time.”

“No, she doesn’t,” a voice said from the sky.  Mannheim looked up and saw Supergirl floating in the air with her arms crossed.  “However, she does have me.  Hi there, I’m Supergirl, it’s nice to finally meet you Mr. Mannheim.”

-To Be Continued-


	8. I'm Tired of Coming out on the Losing End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: All the characters contained in this story are the property of DC Comics, and Warner Brothers. No infringement is intended.
> 
> Spoilers: This takes place directly after the Crisis on Earth-X crossover.
> 
> * * *

Mannheim took a step back from Kara as she descended to the ground.  “What are you doing here?”  Mannheim asked.  “You’re supposed to be in National City.”

“I was in the neighborhood and heard the ruckus you were making so I decided to check it out.  Are you going to lower your weapons and surrender or am I going to have to get tough with you?”

IN response Mannheim fired his rifle at Kara.  The force of the blast knocked her backwards, but she stayed on her feet.  “Concentrate on Supergirl!”  Mannheim yelled at his henchmen.  They all focused their fire on Kara who held up her arms to shield her face from the energy weapons.  Kara felt her feet dig into the asphalt as she warded off Intergang’s attack.

Kara let out a shout and fired her heat vision at Mannheim’s rifle, heating the alien metal until it became too hot for him to hold and he dropped it.  The other henchmen were dispatched by Alex and Kate who snuck up on them while they were distracted by Kara.

When the roar of the alien weapons abated Kara looked around the parking lot.  “Does anyone else want to take a shot or are you ready to turn yourselves in?”  

There was a roar as several helicopters flew overhead and spotlights flooded the parking lot making it hard for Alex to see what was in the sky.  One of the helicopters settled into a hover over the parking lot and a team of six figures dressed in black fatigues fast roped down to the ground.  The lead figure removed her helmet to reveal Agent Vazquez.  “Are you all right Agent Danvers?”  Vazquez asked over the din of the helicopters.

“I’m fine, check on the director,” Alex replied.  Vazquez nodded her head then motioned for the team medic to follow her.

“Did you plan this?”  Maggie asked Alex.  She motioned to the DEO agents who were handcuffing members of Intergang and the Kaznian delegation.

“No this was not part of my plan,” Alex said.  “My guess is this was J’onn’s doing.”

Kate walked up to the pair.  “Your secret weapon was Supergirl?  That figures.”

“What figures?”  Kara asked as she landed next to the trio.

“That you’d be Danvers’s protector.  You’re both similarly sunny,” Kate said.

“Alex sunny?  You’ve obviously never seen her in the morning,” Kara said.  She held out her hand to Kate.  “It’s nice to finally meet you by the way Batwoman, I’m a big fan.”

Kate looked down at Kara’s outstretched hand.  “Thank-you for the assist,” she said before shaking Kara’s hand.

“I have, like, so many questions for you,” Kara said.

J’onn and Agent Vazquez approached to the foursome.  J’onn had assumed his human guise again.  “J’onn you’re okay,” Alex said as she rushed over and hugged him.

“Yes I’m fine, I just had the wind knocked out of me,” J’onn said.  “Supergirl, nice to see you could join us.”

Kara clapped her hands together in front of her.  “I’m happy I was able to lend a hand sir.”

“And we always appreciate your assistance,” J’onn said.

“Quite the little mutual admiration society you have going on here,” Kate said.

Kara frowned at Kate’s comment but chose not to respond.  “Maggie, it’s good to see you again.”  She gave Maggie a quick hug.

“Believe me, the feeling’s mutual,” Maggie said.  “You really saved our bacon tonight.”

“Well if you guys would’ve told me what you were up to sooner I might not have had to.”

Kate held up her hand.  “We already go that lecture from your boss, so save it blondie.”

The sound of sirens in the distance cut off Kara’s reply.  “We are about to have a long and difficult conversation with the Atlantic City police,” J’onn siad  ‘That conversation will only be more difficult if I have to explain the two of you.”  He pointed at Kara and Kate.

“You want us gone, we can do that,” Kara said.

“I hope you don’t think you’ve won,” Mannheim yelled at them.  “I’m going to beat this rap.”

Kate walked over to Mannheim.  “Maybe, but we got what we wanted, justice for George Rizzetti.”

“The Chicken Man?  You did all this because of the Chicken Man?”

“His name was George, and he was a good man you bastard.”  Kate drew back her fist to punch Mannheim but Kara caught her by the wrist.

“We don’t hit our prisoners,” Kara said.  “And anyway, it’s time for us to make our exit.”  She grabbed Kate’s other arm and lifted them both off of the ground.  “We’ll talk more later,” Kara called out to Alex.  Kara then shot several hundred feet up in the air.

“So how do you know Batman?”  Kara asked Kate as they flew.  “You don’t have to answer if you don’t want.  I’ve just always been curious, are the two of you…”

“He’s my cousin, and I’m gay, so no we’re not,” Kate said.

“You’re cousins,” Kara said.  “What a coincidence, Superman is my cousin, I remember holding him when he was just a baby.”  Kara landed on a nearby rooftop.

“But you’re so much younger than he is,” Kate said.

“That’s an interesting story, you see when I was escaping Krypton’s destruction my pod…”

“You know what, I don’t care,” Kate said.  She unholstered her grapple gun.  “Tell Alex and Mags that I’ve headed back to the suite.”

“But the police just arrived, don’t you want to know what they have to say?”

“Not really, I got what I came for.  If the DA can make the charges stick great, if not.”  Kate shrugged.  “It’s business as usual.”  She leapt of the rooftop and fired her grapple at the building across the street.

“That looks so cool,” Kara said to herself.  “I want a grapple gun.”  She turned her attention back to the conversation between J’onn and the local police.

She waited until the police left before she rejoined Alex, Maggie and J’onn.  “Is everything all settled then?”

J’onn crossed his arms before addressing Kara.  “For now, the members of Intergang have been arrested.  The buyers were released.”

“Released why?”

“They have diplomatic immunity,” Alex said.  “Don’t worry, the State Department will have them expelled for their role in this.”

“Good, that’s less than they deserve, but good,” Kate said.

“Uh Kara, where’s Batwoman?”  Maggie asked.

“She said she was headed back to the suite and that she would meet the two of you there.”

“J’onn , Kara, you have to fly us back to the hotel as quick as you can.”

“What why?”  Kara asked.  “Is something wrong?”

“Something is dreadfully wrong Kara,. Batwoman is trying to leave without saying goodbye.”

“I’ll take Alex, J’onn you take Maggie.”

“Wait, could we possibly talk this over,” Alex said before Kara grabbed her sister by the waist and rocketed into the sky.

—xxx—xxx—xxx—xxx—xxx—

Kara and Alex landed on the balcony to the suite and entered just in time to see Kate exit her room dressed in civilian clothes and carrying a suitcase.  “You didn’t think you were going to get away that easily did you?”  Alex asked Kate.

“Alex, who’s this?”  Kara asked her sister.

Alex turned to face Kara.  “It’s Batwoman.”

“But her hair, Batwoman has long hair, and she doesn’t.”

Alex pinched the bridge of her nose.  “That’s a wig, she wears a wig.”

“But why?”

“If I ask you to describe Batwoman what would you say?”  Kate asked.

“The cape, the cowl, the hair,” Kara ticked the items off her fingers.

“And now me,” Kate said as she pointed at her shorn head.

“Ohhh, it’s to throw people off from identifying you in your civilian life,” Kara said.  “Just like my glasses.”

“I knew you’d get there eventually,” Alex said.

“So what did you want, other than to expose my secret identity?  Though I suppose you would have told your sister eventually.”

“Sister, what no we aren’t sisters, that’s crazy.  I’m an alien, she’s a human,” Kara said.  She snorted with forced laughter.

Kate looked over at Alex.  “She’s very bad at this isn’t she?”

“There’s a reason we never send her anywhere undercover,” Alex replied.

“Sweetie, I know sisters, I had one myself.”  Kate pointed between Alex and kara.  “The two of you are sisters, no doubt about it.”

Kara’s face creased into a frown.  “That’s disappointing that we’re so transparent.”

Alex patted Kara on the shoulder.  “Maggie figured it out on her own too, remember?”

“So this is what you wanted to talk to me about?”  Kate asked.

“No, Kara’s the faster flying so we were just stalling while we were waiting for her to show up,” Alex said as J’onn landed in the suite and deposited Maggie on the floor.

“I will never get used to that,” Maggie said.

“Mags,” Kate said.

“J’onn, Kara, why don’t you help me with my luggage,” Alex said.  She grabbed the pair by the arms and dragged them into her room.

“Oh now I recognize her.  She was the lady with Maggie who visited you the other night,” Kara said as Alex pulled the door shut.

Kate looked over at Maggie and chuckled.  “Supergirl sure is something isn’t she?”

“You should be careful around that one, her optimism is contagious,” Maggie said.

Kate set her hands on her hips.  “What did you want to talk to me about Mags?”

“To get a chance to say goodbye to you,” Maggie said.  “The thought that you figured it was okay to just slink off without saying goodbye to me is downright offensive.”

“I didn’t think it was okay, just easier,” Kate said.  “Why dredge up any more old feelings you know?”

Maggie looked down at her feet.  “If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the past year it’s that ignoring your feelings like we have isn’t good for you in the long run.”

Kate ran a hand through her hair.  “You’ve gone soft Mags.”

Maggie walked over to Kate and pulled her in for a hug.  “It was good to see you again Kate.  You stay safe out there okay?”

Kate raised her arms, hesitated for a moment, then returned the hug.  “It was good to see you too Mags.  WE should get together more often.”

Maggie took a step back from Kate.  “I’m not sure how good an idea that would be seeing as we almost died this time.”

“I call that a regular Wednesday night,” Kate said.  She reached out and caught Maggie’s hand in ears.  “But what if we didn’t go out and fight crime, maybe get a drink instead?”

“That sounds like a date to me, are you sure that’s a good idea?”  Maggie raised an eyebrow at Kate.

“Maybe, I don’t know.  Can’t two friend get together for a drink and talk about old times?”

Maggie smiled at Kate and squeezed her head.  “I wouldn’t mind that at all.  Give me a call sometime and we can work something out.”  Maggie turned her head towards the direction of Alex’s room.  “Okay Danvers sisters.  I know you’re listening in.  Kate and I are done talking so you can come out now.”

The door swung open and the sisters walked into the room.  Of the pair only Kara had the decency to look ashamed.  “We weren’t listening in,” Kara said.  “Because that would be a massive violation of your trust, and a tremendous abuse of my powers.”

“Kara, relax,” Alex said.

“Where’s J’onn?”  Maggie asked.

“Headed back to National City.  If he’s away from the DEO for too long he starts to get twitchy,” Alex said.

“That’s too bad, I wanted to think him for all his help,” Maggie said.

“I’ll be sure to let him know,” Alex said.

“So you’re off to Gotham then?”  Kara asked Kate.

“Crime in Gotham never stops,” Kate said.

“If you ever ned help just give me a call,” Kara said.  “I know Mr. Grumpy Pants doesn’t like outsiders in his city.”  Kara mimed quote marks with her fingers.  “But we have an understanding.”

Kate shook her head.  “Of course you do.  Trust me, if I ever find myself in over my head you’ll be the first person I call.”

Kara smiled at Kate then pulled her in for a hug.  “I look forward to it.  Say hi to Batgirl for me.”

“I will,” Kate said. 

Kara stepped away from Kate and Alex took her place.  “So that was fun.”

“It was good to meet you,” Kate said.  “And for the record, I’m sorry things didn’t work out between you and Mags.”

Alex looked back at Maggie.  “Yeah, me too.”  She returned her attention to Kate.  “If you ever find yourself back in National City look us up.”

“I just might do that.”  Kate and Alex shook hands.  Kate waved goodbye then left the suite.

Alex turned to face Maggie.  “So are you getting back together with Kate?”  She clasped her hands together and held them under her chin.

Maggie held up her index finger.  “One shut up.  Two it’s none of your business.  Three, shut up.”  Maggie dropped her hand to her side.  “But seriously, I can’t thank-you enough for agreeing to do this.  It meant a lot to me, and we obviously couldn’t have done it without you.”

I’m just glad you thought to come to me for help,” Alex said.

“Just because you broke up with me doesn’t mean I don’t trust you to have my back Danvers.”  The pair shared a hug.  “Are you taking Air Kara back home?”

Alex laughed.  “No, oh no.  I’ll hitch a ride with the rest of the DEO team.  How about you, I’m sure there’s room on the jet if you want it.”

“Tempting but no, Kate has the suite booked for a few more days and I plan on taking advantage of that.”

“Good plan.  See you around Sawyer,” Alex said.

Maggie smiled.  “Not if I see you first Danvers.”

—xxx—xxx—xxx—xxx—xxx—

After a long flight back to National City Alex pulled open the door to her apartment and found Kara standing in front of her holding a glass of wine.  “I should be mad at your for letting yourself into my apartment, but I’ll forgive you if you give that wine right damn now,” Alex said.  Kara wordlessly handed the glass over to Alex then guided her sister onto the living room sofa.

“So how are you doing?”  Kara asked Alex.  She picked up her own wine glass and took a sip.

“You mean how do I feel about having spent the past two days with my ex and her other ex, who by the way happens to be frigging Batwoman?”  Alex asked.

“And you fought Intergang,” Kara said.  “Don’t forget that part.”

“It would be hard for me to forget that part.  I nearly died twice.”

Kara’s eyes widened.  “Twice?  I thought it was just the once.”

Alex shook her head.  “Nope, I also pissed off a mob boss who tried to have me killed.  J’onn showed up and rescued me in the nick of time, and Kate wasn’t far behind him.”

Kara leaned over and hugged Alex.  “I’m glad you’re okay.  You are right?”

“Am I okay?”  Alex took a drink of wine as she considered Kara’s question.  “I am.  I won’t lie, it was weird seeing Maggie again, doubly weird to see her other failed engagement, and then triply weird that she’s a masked vigilante, but do you know what?”

Kara leaned back on the sofa.  “What?”

“I didn’t once think that Maggie and I should get back together,” Alex said.  “I was there to support my friend and that was it.”

Kata patted Alex on the knee.  “That’s great, I’m glad one of us is capable of moving on.”

“If I can do it, so can you,” Alex said.  

Kara smiled.  “Here’s hoping.”  She raised her glass and shared a toast with Alex.  “You know what this means right?”

Alex eyed her sister.  “No, what?”

“You’re ready to start dating again.  Come on, we can make you a profile tonight.”

“Kara, no,” Alex stood up and back away from kara.  Faster than she could react, Kara snatched Alex’s phone from her pocket.  “Give that back!”  Alex chased after her sister as they ran through the apartment.

-The End-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I think I've said before, one of my inspirations for what I write is music. In the this case, obviously, that inspiration was the Bruce Springsteen song Atlantic City, or more precisely, Greensky Bluegrass's version of The Band's cover of Atlantic City (Go check it out on YouTube, it's really dang good. It made sense then to pair that song's depiction of seedy things with a story about Batwoman since Bat characters are reliably noir toss in the always stalwart Intergang and you've really got something. 
> 
> Thanks for reading, this was going to be the last Supergirl related story I had planned for the foreseeable future, but right after thinking that I got a great idea that is a bit of a tribute to Otto Binder. So look for that, uh, sometime. Once again, thanks for reading, and let's do it again real soon.
> 
> -sam, 2018-09-17


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